One Piece: School Days
by XFangHeartX
Summary: Summary inside. AU. LuffyXNami in later chapters. OC included. Rating may change later on. May contain a little drama later on.
1. Same Old Same Old

One Piece: School Days

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p>Summary- In an alternate universe, Luffy D. Monkey is not a pirate, but a regular 17-year-old kid who attends East Blue High School with his best friends, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Vivi. He lives in the suburbs with his big brother, Ace D. Portgas, who works part time at the wharf. Luffy's father walked out on him when he was 4, and his mother died 10 years later. Ever since then, he forgets to eat breakfast and forgets to grab his lunch on his way out, he's always been late to school, his grades have turned poor in every class, gym included, and he constantly gets into a fistfight with Bellamy, the school bully. As if things weren't bad enough, Luffy can barely talk to Nami, his secret crush, without her overly jealous boyfriend Sanji chasing him off. That all changes on what seems to be a regular Friday afternoon when he meets a stray wolf-dog he names "Blizzard" and takes him home.<p>

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><p><strong>Ch. 1- Same Old, Same Old<strong>

8:00 am. Friday, March 12th.

"LUFFY! WAKE UP, YOU MORON! THE BUS IS HERE! YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE FOR SCHOOL! **AGAIN!**"

Ace D. Portgas, age 20, heaved a sigh of annoyance as he stomped towards his younger brother's bedroom. As he opened the door, he saw that his fear had been confirmed.

Luffy D. Monkey, age 17, was still lying in bed, snoring away, a sliver of drool seeping onto his pillow.

Ace groaned as his forehead met his palm. He thought he woke this boy up 45 minutes ago. With a growl, he lifted his foot and pulled off his shoe.

"I said 'WAKE UP', dumb-ass!" Ace yelled as he chucked his shoe at the back of Luffy's head.

**BONK!**

"OW!" Luffy cried as he grabbed at the back of his skull and hissed in pain before he turned to his big brother. "What the hell, Ace?"

"Don't 'what the hell' me!" Ace barked before he pointed to the digital alarm clock on Luffy's nightstand. "The bus is gonna leave without you, again, if you don't move it!"

Luffy looked at the clock and gasped.

The bus leaves in ten minutes!

"Oh, crap…!" Luffy cursed under his breath as he scrambled out of bed. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

"I did!" Ace retorted. "You just fell right back to sleep, again! Now get moving!"

As Ace went back to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, Luffy ran around his room, picking up the discarded clothes off the floor to see if any of them were close to clean.

He picked up his green number 56 jersey and took a whiff, only to grimace at the familiar scent of B.O. So, he picked up his blue tee. It didn't smell as bad as the jersey, but it was still pretty bad. He came upon his red hoodie jacket. It wasn't nearly as bad as the tee or the jersey, so he decided to wear that today.

He then pulled on his blue baggy jeans and yellow sneakers, and finally, he reached over to his nightstand and placed his straw hat upon his head before he rushed out his bedroom door.

Unfortunately, before he could head out the front door, Ace grabbed him by the hood.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" said Ace. "Where are you going?"

"To the bus!" Luffy answered.

"Not smelling like that, you're not!" snapped Ace. "You want the bus driver to die from your stink? Go take a shower!"

"But Ace, I-"

Luffy tried to say that he didn't have time for a shower, but Ace wouldn't hear of it, for he lightly shoved him into the bathroom.

"If you can't take a shower," he began, "put some deodorant on, at least!"

Luffy groaned as he put on some of Ace's spray-on deodorant.

"He tells me to hurry," he mumbled, "but when I try, he starts to hold me up!"

There was a slight pause before he decided that Ace would probably stop him for having morning breath, so he grabbed the mouthwash, twisted the cap off, poured the mint-y flavored liquid into the cap, poured it into his mouth, gargled, and then spat it out in the sink.

With that being done, he made a dash for the door, grabbing his orange book-bag as he did.

"See you, Ace!" he said as he ran out.

Ace sighed.

Once again, he was going to be eating breakfast alone this morning.

However, he soon spotted the two lunchboxes on the counter and gasped.

Luffy forgot his lunch, again!

"Crap!" Ace cursed as he grabbed the lunchbox wrapped in red cloth and hurried out the door, hoping to catch his younger brother, who, as of this moment, had missed the bus and had to take his bicycle.

"LUFFY!" Ace called after him, waving his hand. "COME BACK HERE, YOU IDIOT! YOU FORGOT YOUR LUNCH!"

Luffy was too far out of earshot to hear him.

Ace huffed out a sigh before he headed back into the house to put the lunchbox in the fridge. After all, he had to go to school, too, and then work after that.

XXX

_**BRRRIIIIIIIING!**_

"Damn it. Late again!"

Luffy pulled up to the campus of East Blue High, the school he attended, and once again, he was late, just like every other day.

Principal Shanks is really going to put him in detention for this.

As Luffy tethered his bike, he spotted two of his best friends: Usopp and Zoro Roronoa.

"Yo! Luffy!" Usopp called.

"Hey, Usopp! Hey, Zoro!" Luffy called back as he walked up to them.

Luffy met Usopp and Zoro since he was in kindergarten, and ever since, they grew up together.

Usopp is 17, like Luffy, while Zoro is 19. One might think that the latter should've graduated by now, but the reason why Zoro is still in high school is because he had been held back…twice.

"Late again, huh, Luffy?" asked Zoro with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Oh, ha-ha," Luffy said, sarcastically as the three friends headed into the building. "It wasn't my fault this time, okay? My stupid brother was holding me up again!"

"You sure you didn't end up sleeping in, again?" Usopp teased, earning a light punch in the shoulder from the raven-haired boy. "Ow!"

"All right, all right, that's enough," said Zoro. "We're lucky if we don't end up running into the principal on the way to class."

XXX

First period class: geometry.

"All right, class," said Ms. Hina. "As you all know, there is a test today."

Luffy gasped silently.

How the hell could he forget to study for the test today?

Ms. Hina walked around the classroom, handing out test sheets as she did.

"You will receive your test scores after lunch period," she said before she set back down at her desk. "You may begin your test now."

As the students began the test, Luffy was nervously chewing on the eraser of his pencil. He glanced at Ms. Hina, who was currently reading a magazine. He took this chance to tap on Usopp's shoulder.

"Usopp," he whispered to the long-nosed boy. "I need help. I didn't study for the test last night."

"No," Usopp answered.

"Usopp, seriously!" Luffy begged. "Just help me with first five problems, and then I'll leave you alone! Please?"

"No talking," Ms. Hina demanded.

"I said no, Luffy," said Usopp. "Now shut up and leave me alone! You're gonna get us both in trouble!"

"C'mon, Usopp, be a pal-"

**WHAP!**

Ms. Hina smacked a yardstick on Luffy's desk, silencing him.

"Mr. Monkey," she hissed. "Hina thought she said 'no talking'!"

"Sorry, Ms. Hina," Luffy apologized before the teacher headed back to her desk.

Luffy scratched his head, confused. He considered that since Usopp wouldn't help him and that Zoro probably wouldn't either, he might as well did what he always did: guess the right answer…even though they end up being wrong ones.

Still, perhaps Lady Luck was on his side, this time.

Luffy circled the answers on his test sheet, one-by-one. Once he was finished, he turned it in to Ms. Hina before he sat back down at his desk.

About 45 minutes later, the rest of class handed in their tests. It was about time, too, for Luffy had realized he had skipped breakfast when he heard his stomach growling in the middle of class. Maybe, if he hurried, he could get to the vending machine in the hallway and get a bag of chips on his way to second period class.

_**BRRIIIIIIIING!**_

The bell to end first period rang, thus allowing the students 10 minutes of free time until second period.

Luffy hurried down the hallway to the vending machine, hoping to make it before the next bell. Once he reached it, he put in the exact change and then punched in the code. He reached in to get the chips, but as he did, he suddenly spotted two girls coming down the hall.

It was Nami and her best friend, Vivi Nefertari. Nami was an honor student and a senior. She was also the captain of the cheerleading squad. Not just that, but she is also Luffy's heartthrob. Luffy has been crushing on Nami ever since they met when they were little and he had been waiting for the right time to tell Nami. However, when he turned thirteen, he found that he waited too long, for Nami had already gotten herself a boyfriend.

As for Vivi, her father is the president of Nefertari Enterprises and she is the heiress to the fortune. She lives down by Alabasta Coast. One might wonder why she was in a public school instead of a ritzy private school. Vivi insisted that she go to school like a normal high school girl, so her father pulled some strings for her and here she was.

"Hey, Luffy," Nami greeted.

"Hey," Luffy greeted back, smiling. He felt his heart beating tenfold as she and Vivi passed by.

However, the moment Luffy was distracted, he suddenly found himself on the floor. Looking up, Luffy saw that it was the school bully, Bellamy and his two lackeys, Sarquiss and his girlfriend, Lily. Bellamy grinned with his tongue lulling out of his mouth in a sick manner as he teasingly held up the bag of chips that was meant for Luffy.

"Gimme those chips, Bellamy!" Luffy demanded as he jumped up to try and get them. Alas, Bellamy kept them out of reach before he tossed them to Sarquiss. The Hyena Gang laughed at their little game of keep-away before Bellamy pushed down to the floor, again, tore the bag open, and munched messily on the chips.

Luffy clutched his stomach as it growled.

"Aww~!" Bellamy said, teasingly. "Did somebody forget to eat their breakfast, again?"

"Shut up!" Luffy barked. "That was just a fart!"

"Oh, I'm so sure," said Sarquiss before he and Lily joined Bellamy in laughter.

Luffy growled silently to himself. Every day, ever since he was enrolled at East Blue High, Bellamy had chosen him as a target for torment.

"Bellamy!"

The Hyena Gang looked down the corridor and saw Zoro and Usopp approaching. Usopp happened to see Bellamy and his friends picking on Luffy, again, and ran off to get Zoro. Now Bellamy knew that Zoro was the real big boss on campus and that whenever he showed up, it was a signal for everyone, including the Hyena Gang, to clear out, and fast.

And that's exactly what they did.

As Bellamy and his gang left, Usopp went to help Luffy to his feet.

"You okay?" Usopp asked.

"Aside from an empty stomach," Luffy started, "just fine."

_**BRRRIIIIIIIIIIINNG!**_ The bell for second period rings.

"Oh, great," Luffy said, sarcastically.

XXX

Second-period class: gym.

"All right, everyone," Coach Buggy announced. "Listen up! Soccer ball tryouts are next week, so if you wanna be a part of the team, you better sign up. Now, today, I don't wanna hear any excuses when I say…dodge ball."

Bellamy and the Hyena Gang cheered while the rest of the students groaned.

"I hate dodge ball," said Usopp.

"Tell me about it," Zoro added.

Luffy raised his hand.

"Uh, excuse me, Coach?" asked Luffy.

"Yes?" asked Buggy.

"I kind of haven't eaten all day," Luffy began, "so I'm kind of light headed. Is it okay if I sit this one out?"

"No," Buggy said before…

**FWEET!** He blew the whistle, thus starting the game.

Red balls were being pelted back and forth along the court, one team trying to strike out the other. Students ran around, trying to evade the balls.

Usopp screamed like a little girl as he scrambled around the court, trying to avoid being hit by the balls.

Zoro yawned out of boredom as he easily dodged the balls. He managed to catch one of the balls and throw it at one of the weakest players on the other team: Helmeppo. The green-haired teen smirked before he turned away. Bad move. The moment he had his back turned, Sarquiss hit him in the back of his head with a ball.

"Ow!" Zoro cried as he rubbed the back of his skull.

**FWEET!** Buggy blew his whistle.

"Roronoa! Out!" Buggy called.

Zoro growled before he walked off the court. "I don't even like this stupid game…!" he mumbled.

Nami and Vivi seemed to be holding their own just fine, the former managing to strike out Shuraiya Bascud on the other team. Unfortunately, Vivi wasn't so lucky.

"Vivi, incoming!" Nami warned, but it was too late. Vivi was hit in the side by Lily, who laughed at her as the ball struck.

"Nefertari! Out!" Buggy called to the heiress.

"She throws hard," Vivi muttered to herself as she sat down next to Zoro.

Nami managed to catch another ball and threw it at Spandam, another weak student.

"Spandam, out!"

As for Luffy, he managed to dodge yet another ball, but not before he saw Sarquiss about to throw another…at Nami! He gasped before he rushed to the orange-haired girl's rescue. At that point, everything seemed to go in slow-motion.

"Nami!" Luffy called. "NO!"

Just then, he shoved Nami out of the way of the ball.

**POW!** The ball made contact with Luffy, right in his face. There was so much force in the throw, Luffy fell down on his back. The next thing he knew, everything went dark.

XXX

"…uffy…Luffy!"

Luffy groaned before he sat up. Zoro, Usopp, Nami, and Vivi had surrounded him.

"You okay, Luffy?" Zoro asked.

"What happened?" Luffy answered with another question.

"You took a hit for me and took to a dodge ball to the eye," Nami answered.

"After that, you passed out on the floor," Usopp explained.

Luffy groaned again before he tried to stand up, his hand covering his right eye.

"How is it?" he asked. "My eye, that is."

"Let me see," instructed Vivi.

Luffy obligingly let the junior see his eye. Upon doing so, the group grimaced and backed off, slightly. Luffy's eye was slightly bruised and swollen.

"It's that bad?" he asked.

"Well…not much," Zoro said.

"Luffy," Usopp began, "maybe you should see the nurse."

Luffy froze up. Aside from his grandfather, Nurse Kureha was another person that he was deathly afraid of. Last time he saw her, he only came for an allergy shot, but the next thing he knew, he had a thermometer…in an unmentionable and very uncomfortable place.

"No way!" Luffy said. "I'm not seeing her! She scares the living crap outta me!"

"Luffy, if you don't take care of that eye," Nami began, "it's gonna get worse throughout the day!"

"All I need is some ice to put on it," Luffy said. "I'll be fine."

_**BRRIIIIIIIIING!**_

The bell rang, once again, signaling the end of second period and the beginning of lunch period.

Luffy's grumbling stomach filled the air with starving sounds.

"Oh, finally!" he said. "I'm starved."

Luffy made his way to the lockers. As he opened his, he reached into his backpack to get his lunchbox. However, upon looking inside, he forgot one crucial thing…

"I left my lunch at home, again!" he shrieked before he sighed in frustration and then banged his head against his locker.

XXX

A moment later in the cafeteria, the students had all sat down for lunch.

Usopp's father had packed him two fried pike sandwiches.

Zoro was helping himself to white rice balls and Salisbury steak.

Nami's older sister had packed her some tangerine oranges as well as a turkey sandwich.

Vivi's father had packed her a cup of instant ramen noodles.

As for poor Luffy, he was forced to watch his friends eat while he had nothing. His stomach roared audibly, making him moan. He wished that he didn't have to be in such a rush to get to school on time and not forget his lunch.

Usopp looked to his best friend with sympathy before he looked at the other sandwich in his lunchbox. He considered that he probably wasn't going to eat it, anyway, but he knew he couldn't let it go to waste. Finishing his first sandwich, Usopp reached into his lunchbox and pulled out his other sandwich, and then held it in front of Luffy.

"Here, Luffy," Usopp said. "You can have my other sandwich."

"Seriously?" Luffy asked, smiling. Usopp nodded. Luffy gratefully took the sandwich and began to devour it in just two bites. He sighed contently before he gently pat his stomach.

"Thanks, Usopp," he said. "I really needed that."

"Anytime," Usopp said. "But you owe me one."

"Why is it that you forget to bring your own lunch, Luffy?" asked Vivi.

"It's because I'm always in such a hurry to get to school on time," Luffy began, "that I forget to grab my lunch on the way out."

"Have you tried going to bed early?" Nami asked, earning a small chuckle from Zoro.

"You wish," mumbled the green-haired teen. However, Nami heard him and threw an empty milk carton at his head, earning a disapproving glare from him. The others just laughed.

_**BRRIIIIIIIIIIING!**_

Lunch period was over, which gave the students a five minute break before the third and last period before the day was over. On the way, Hina was giving out her class's test scores.

Zoro got his first.

"C+," Zoro commented with a small smirk. "Not bad."

Usopp got his next.

"B+!" he cheered softly. "Yes!"

After Usopp was Nami.

"A+!" Nami cheered.

After Nami came Vivi.

"A," Vivi said before she sighed. "Well, you can't get them all."

Finally, Luffy.

He gasped as he looked at the score he got.

"F-, again?" he cried. "Damn it! Ace is gonna rip me to shreds for this!"

_**BRRIIIIIIIIIING!**_

Third period: history.

The final period before the end of the day.

Now usually, Clover was the one who taught this class, but he had recently retired. Thus, a new history teacher was assigned to Luffy's class.

The new teacher was a woman in her early 20s. She had long, collarbone-length hair that was black as coal, dark-toned skin, and blue eyes like Vivi's hair.

"Good afternoon, class," the woman said before she turned and wrote her name on the chalkboard. "Since Mr. Clover has recently retired, I'll be your new history teacher. I am Ms. Nico."

"Hello, Ms. Nico," the class greeted.

"Now, please open your textbooks to page 89," Ms. Nico instructed.

The class pulled out their textbooks and opened them to pg. 89.

"Now, today's lesson is about the history of navigation on the sea," Robin explained.

As Ms. Nico was teaching the class, Luffy got a look at his surroundings. Usopp, Nami, and Vivi were taking notes, and Zoro had since dozed off at the beginning of class. Now, he tried to pay attention to what the teacher was saying and follow the words in the textbook, but he was so bored that he couldn't keep his eyes open for five minutes. The next thing he knew, his head dropped on his textbook.

_**BRRIIIIIIIIIIIING!**_

Luffy awoke to the sound of the bell ringing, signaling the end of third period, and the end of the day.

"All right, class," Robin said. "See you on Monday. Have a good weekend."

The class walked out of the room. However, Luffy was soon stopped by Ms. Nico.

"Mr. Monkey?" called Ms. Nico, questioningly. The 17-year-old turned to the teacher before she showed him a small slip of paper.

"I'll see you in detention on Monday."

Luffy sighed in exasperation before he took the slip and walked down the hall to his locker to gather his things.

_Thank God it's Friday,_ Luffy thought to himself before he headed outside to unlock his bike.

As he reached the bike stand, he was greeted by Usopp.

"Hey, Luffy," Usopp greeted.

"Hey," Luffy greeted back as he unchained his bike.

"So, you got plans this weekend?" he asked.

"Nope," Luffy answered. "You?" he asked.

"Yup," Usopp said. "Going on a date with Kaya, tonight!"

"Good for you, man!" Luffy congratulated.

"You bet, good for me!" said Usopp, excitedly.

Kaya was this rich girl that Usopp had known since he was little. Ever since then, he had gained a crush on her, but he was afraid that she wouldn't return his feelings due to where they came from. It was only until a week ago that Usopp finally told her he loved her, and as it turns out, Kaya felt the same way.

Now if only Luffy could do the same with Nami.

**HONK! HONK!** A car horn blared.

Usopp looked up and saw his father, Yasopp, in his yellow Hyundai.

"Usopp!" Yasopp called. "Time to go!"

In the back of the car, Usopp saw a little brown terrier puppy with a pink collar sticking his head out the window. It was his dog, Chopper.

A month ago, Chopper had been adopted from the shelter in town. He used to belong to a rather old man, but he grew ill and died, leaving Chopper to fend for himself until Usopp came along.

"Hey, Chopper!" Usopp greeted as he opened the door, allowing him to jump out of the car and jump at his knees. Usopp picked him up and brought him into his arms. Chopper licked his face, leaving a small trail of saliva. The long-nosed teen could only giggle before he entered the car, closing the door behind him.

Luffy smiled as Usopp, with Chopper, and his dad drove away, but then his smile faded. He had always wondered what it would be like if he got himself a dog. He knew he couldn't ask Ace to get him one, considering he had already tried, but he always got the same answer: no. Luffy sighed heavily before he finished unchaining his bike.

"I wish I had a dog," Luffy muttered to himself.

Just when Luffy was about to mount his bike, he heard a high-pitch yelp coming from somewhere behind him.

"Bellamy! Stop! Let go of me!"

Luffy turned upon hearing the voice. That sounded like Vivi, and it sounded like she needed help! Leaving his bike at the stand, he ran off to find her. Turning the corner, he saw that his fears had been confirmed.

Vivi was struggling against Bellamy, who had his hand wrapped tight around her wrist. Her backpack was on the ground, the contents having spilled out.

"Bellamy, I said let go!" cried Vivi.

"Aw~!" Bellamy said, teasingly. "What's wrong, Vivi? You don't want to go out with me, tonight?"

Sarquiss and Lily just laughed with their leader as Vivi continued to struggle.

Luffy gritted his teeth. If there was one thing he hated besides school, it was someone trying pick on his friends. Curling his hands into fists, Luffy stomped toward Bellamy and roughly shoved him, causing him to release Vivi.

"Bellamy, leave Vivi alone!" Luffy said.

"Luffy!" Vivi cried.

"Well, well, well…!" Bellamy said with his hands on his hips. "Looks like someone's trying to be a big hero, eh, Straw Hat?"

As Luffy confronted Bellamy, Vivi took this chance to gather her things. When she did, she stood up and put a hand on Luffy's shoulder in an attempt to pull him away. Whenever Luffy and Bellamy faced each other after school, it only meant one thing…

"Luffy, let's just go," Vivi said. "I'm fine, now. Let's just go home, okay?"

"In a minute," Luffy said to Vivi, his eyes never leaving Bellamy's face. "Now listen, Bellamy. I've told you a thousand times, I don't want you picking on my friends!"

"You're right, Straw Hat," Bellamy said before he pushed Luffy back. "You're much better prey, anyway," he said with a sick grin.

Luffy tried to keep his composure, but at that moment, he just lost it all. He approached Bellamy before he shoved him back. That did it. Bellamy threw a fist at Luffy, right in his chin. What happened next seemed to be too fast for Vivi to see. All she knew was she needed to get help.

Hoisting her backpack over her shoulders, Vivi ran to get Zoro, and hopefully, the principal if he hadn't left for home yet. Luck appeared to be on her side, for she soon saw Zoro come into her vision. He was just about to get in his car.

"Zoro!" called Vivi.

Zoro looked back upon hearing his name. Vivi braked to a halt, just a few inches in front of him.

"What's up?" Zoro asked. "You look like the Devil's after you."

"It's Luffy!" Vivi exclaimed. "He's gotten into a fight with Bellamy!"

"Again?" Zoro yelled. "Damn it…! C'mon! We gotta find the principal!"

Back with Luffy, he was getting beat up pretty bad. He was even starting to bleed, a little. Bellamy cackled before he landed a punch in Luffy's right eye, causing him to fall to the ground. As if that wasn't enough, Bellamy started kicking Luffy in the gut the moment he was down.

Suddenly, Vivi and Zoro returned with Principal Shanks running behind them.

"Bellamy!" Principal Shanks shouted at the delinquent. "Stop! Get away from Luffy! Leave him alone!"

Bellamy gasped before he, Sarquiss, and Lily ran off.

Zoro and Vivi helped Luffy to his feet.

"Luffy?" Vivi asked. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," answered Luffy, who was dusting himself off.

Zoro looked Luffy in the eye. His right eye had become more bruised and swollen than before.

"You sure you're gonna be okay?" Zoro asked him.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Luffy said before he picked up his backpack and headed back to the bike stand. He mounted his bike and pedaled away, headed for home.

XXX

It was 3:30 pm. Luffy was pedaling on his bike on his way back home. However, he was wearing sunglasses, even though it wasn't even sunny. His eye was killing him, too.

Just then, he spotted something in the distance. It was a restaurant, but not just any restaurant. It was the Baratie, the restaurant where Nami took her part-time job. Luffy smiled. Maybe he could ask Nami give him some ice for his eye before he got home.

He parked his bike against the wall before he headed up the stairs, heading to the patio where Nami was usually seen.

Speaking of Nami, she was currently waiting tables. She handed a menu to an old man named Boodle.

"Here you go, sir," Nami said.

"Thank you," Boodle said before he opened the menu.

Just then, Nami felt someone tapping on her shoulder. She turned fast, prepared to deliver a swift punch.

"Nami, wait! It's me!"

Nami gasped.

"Luffy?" Nami said.

Indeed it was. The boy had cringed, preparing for Nami to hit him before he sighed in relief.

"What happened to you?" Nami asked. "You look like hell!"

"I got into another fight with Bellamy," Luffy explained.

"Again?" Nami questioned. "What did you do this time?"

"I caught him harassing Vivi," Luffy said.

"What?" Nami cried. "Oh, I knew I should've stayed longer! She stands a better chance against the bullies when she's with me."

"Well, she was okay," Luffy said. "She and Zoro got the principal for me. Anyway, do you have some ice I can put on my eye?"

"Why?" Nami asked.

Luffy removed his shades, revealing his huge black eye. Nami gasped and backed away.

"Oh, my god!" she cried.

"I know," Luffy said. "It's bad."

Nami looked around, as if she were trying to look for someone. When the coast seemed clear, she turned back to Luffy.

"Okay, Luffy," Nami said. "I'm going to go to the back and get some ice, but I'm gonna try and hurry. You know what happens when you come here to talk to me."

Luffy gulped before Nami ran inside to get some ice from the freezer.

_I hope this doesn't come off my paycheck. _Nami thought.

Meanwhile, a young woman, Miss Valentine, was being served by Sanji, the chef here at the restaurant.

Sanji is a charming young man with the culinary skills of a true master. He is also Nami's boyfriend.

"Enjoy your meal, madam," Sanji said, courteously before he turned away. At that moment, he spotted Luffy, sitting down at one of the tables. He gritted his teeth, so much so, that his cigarette was bitten in half. He rolled up his sleeves and stomped toward the boy.

Just then, Nami came back out with a bag of ice, but then she spotted Sanji headed toward Luffy. She gritted her teeth in shock.

"Oh, crap…!" she whispered before she headed to Luffy and Sanji.

By this time, Sanji had confronted Luffy, who had suddenly grown nervous upon seeing him.

"Sanji!" Luffy said. "W-w-what are you doing here?" he stammered.

"I work here, dumb-ass," Sanji said, bitterly, "but I think that's the question I should be asking you, Straw Hat."

"Well," Luffy began, "I just came to get some ice for this shiner I got." He took of his sunglass for emphasis. "See?"

Sanji grabbed Luffy by his shirt collar and pulled him closer to his face. "You're just using that as an excuse to talk to Nami!" he snarled. "I told you before, Nami's MY girl! Not yours!"

Luffy swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. Sanji had this one flaw: he gets overly jealous of any boy that talks to Nami, even if one of those boys happen to be her friends.

At that moment, Nami approached the two with the bag of ice meant for Luffy.

"Sanji!" Nami said. "I keep telling you, Luffy and I are friends! Nothing more!"

Luffy felt his heart sink when he heard Nami say 'friends'. He really wished that he and Nami could be…more.

"Well I've had it with your little 'friend'!" Sanji growled. "I'm sick and tired of him always coming here talking to you when he knows damn well that we have a relationship!"

As Sanji was talking, Luffy reached for a packet of Tabasco sauce on the table and put it behind his back. Gently, he ripped the packet slightly open.

"Now we're gonna settle this like men!" Sanji growled at Luffy.

"Okay, Sanji. Fine," Luffy said. "We'll settle it like men."

Suddenly, Luffy pulled the Tabasco sauce from behind his back and squirted it in Sanji's eye. The blonde chef screamed at the stinging, burning pain as he covered his face.

"Luffy, RUN!" Nami cried.

Luffy didn't need to be told twice. He quickly turned and ran for his life, nearly forgetting the bag of ice in his haste, just as Sanji gave chase after him. Luffy jumped over the fence, grabbed his bike, and pedaled away as fast as he could. Sanji angrily waved his fist after him.

"That's right!" yelled Sanji. "Get outta here, and don't ever let me catch you around here, trying to talk to my Nami, again! If I do, I'll kick your ass!"

As Luffy peddled away on his bike, he couldn't help but wish that his bad luck would some day change.

He didn't realize that today, his wish was going to come true.

* * *

><p>I know that people have done the One Piece in High School thing before, but I decided to give it a bit of a try, too, so please, no flames or hate things or anything.<p>

Read and review, please!


	2. New Friend

**Ch. 2- A New Friend**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, at a butcher's shop on 43rd Street, it appeared that Luffy was not the only one who was down on his luck.<p>

A stray dog ran out of the butcher's shop after a failed attempt at trying to sneak away some salami. The dog had white fur and big pricked ears like a Husky dog's. He was about the size of a Boxer. His eyes were as pink as newly bloomed cherry blossoms in the Springtime.

As the dog ran away, the butcher came chasing after him, waving his knife threateningly in the air.

"That's right, you damn mutt!" the butcher called out after him. "Run! Get outta here, and don't let me catch you around here, again!"

The dog turned a corner, certain that the butcher wasn't following him. Once he was certain he was safe, he laid down in the shade to catch his breath.

Things have been like this since the day this dog left his mother to try and strike out on his own. He was smart, sure. He knew how to ride on the buses and subways and where the best food was. Some people have been kind enough to give him scraps of food, but others, for some reason, weren't so kind at all. In fact, they would often kick him or chase him away. He would often find himself fighting other dogs to find food or to try and get a warm place to sleep at night.

On days like this, the dog wished that his life would change. As he got back up and walked along the street, he didn't realize that his wish about to come true.

He saw a boy with a straw hat, sitting on the bus bench with an ice pack held to his right eye.

The dog wagged his tail a bit before he loped up to him.

XXX

Luffy sighed as he pressed the ice pack against his black eye. He had assured himself that he had lost Sanji, but he still felt like he was having a crappy day.

All he wanted was for his luck to go his way, for once.

"What else could go wrong?" he asked to himself.

**WOOF!**

Luffy jumped, startled, when he heard that bark. He looked over and saw a white dog, standing there, wagging his tail.

Luffy seemed surprised at the sight of the dog. He used to say that he always did want a dog, but he never thought that one would actually appear out of nowhere for him. As he stood from the bus bench, he knelt down so he could get the dog to sniff his hand. The dog took a whiff and licked it gently, and Luffy responded by petting him softly on the head.

The dog whined pleasurably, making Luffy smile.

"Hey, there, boy," he said. "Where'd you come from?"

The dog eased closer to Luffy, who felt around his neck. He didn't feel a collar anywhere in his white fur, so he figured that he must've been a stray.

"You don't have a home, do you?" asked Luffy.

The dog seemed to shake his head "no".

Luffy looked up to the clock tower. It was 4:00. Ace should be at his part-time job down at the wharf by now and he doesn't come back home until 7 later tonight. Maybe he could bring the dog back with him and hide him when Ace comes home.

As Luffy stood up and grabbed the handlebars of his bike, he turned to the dog.

"C'mon, boy!" Luffy called to him.

The dog soon fell into step beside Luffy and followed him home. As they walked, Luffy began to ponder on if the dog had a name or not.

"I wonder what I should call you," said Luffy. "Let me see. Your fur is white, like snow, but you look fierce, like a winter snowstorm. I think I'll call you…Blizzard."

The dog wagged his tail at the name. Luffy smiled as he gently pet the newly christened Blizzard.

He had just made himself a new friend.

* * *

><p>Read and review, please!<p> 


	3. Can I Keep Him?

**Ch. 3- "Can I Keep Him?"**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>7 o'clock.<p>

Ace pulled up to the garage in his red Ferrari with flame decal. As he did, he smelled the scent of oregano, garlic, basil, marinara sauce, and pasta. He figured that Luffy must've been making dinner for himself since he couldn't wait any longer. Ace wouldn't blame him though. He skipped breakfast and he possibly skipped lunch, too.

As Ace entered, he was in for quite the surprise.

Luffy was sitting at the table, lethargically leaning back in his chair, an empty plate in front of him, his mouth and hands covered in sauce, and a stomach full of spaghetti, but that wasn't what surprised Ace.

What surprised him was the big white dog standing on the table, eating a plate of spaghetti.

"What the hell?" Ace shouted, questioningly.

Luffy snapped out of his food coma upon hearing his brother's voice. When he saw him, he gasped and stood from his chair.

"Oh!" he said. "Uh, hey, Ace!"

Ace suddenly scowled as he put his hands to his hips.

"Who's your guest, Luffy?" he asked.

Luffy looked at Blizzard, who had gotten down from the table, noodles hanging out of his mouth and on his muzzle, mouth dripping with sauce, then back at Ace. He smiled sheepishly with beads of sweat falling from his face and scratched the back of his head.

"We need to talk," said Ace as he pointed his finger to Luffy's room.

Luffy sighed as his smile dropped and he headed for his room. As he did, Blizzard attempted to follow him, but Ace pointed a finger at the dog.

"Not you!" Ace said. "You stay!"

Blizzard sat down on the carpet, staring up at Ace in a submissive manner.

Ace soon followed Luffy into his room.

XXX

Ace closed the bedroom door behind him before he turned to Luffy.

"Sit down," Ace said to his little brother.

Luffy didn't protest. He silently sat down on his bed.

"Luffy," said Ace. "Who's the dog?"

"Blizzard," Luffy answered.

"Where'd you find Blizzard?"

"On my way home."

"Does Blizzard happen to belong to someone?"

"No. A-at least I don't think so. He doesn't have a collar."

A pause came.

"So," said Luffy, "can I keep him?"

"Luffy," Ace began, sighing. "I know you said that you've always wanted a dog, but I keep telling you that the answer is and will be always be 'no'."

"But, Ace-" Luffy started, but Ace raised a hand, cutting him off, making a buzzing sound.

"I don't wanna hear it," said Ace. "First thing tomorrow morning, I want you to take that dog to the shelter."

"What?" Luffy cried. "Ace, no!"

"Luffy, look," said Ace. "The shelter will find the dog a good home. Look at Usopp and his dog!"

"But Ace," Luffy argued, "if no one adopts Blizzard, they'll put him down!"

"Luffy, I keep telling you," Ace said, "we can barely afford to feed ourselves! I'm sorry, but Blizzard has to go!"

"You're a jerk!" Luffy spat before he stormed passed Ace and out through the door.

"Luffy!" Ace called before he heaved a sigh.

He always hated when he and Luffy had these sort of arguments, whether they were trivial or otherwise, and they always ended with Luffy getting mad at his older brother.

To pass time, Ace decided to clean up the mess that Luffy and Blizzard had left behind themselves in the kitchen.

XXX

About 45 minutes later, Luffy was ready to come back inside from the backyard.

He didn't say that he wanted to apologize, though.

Ace had just finished cleaning the dishes, and was preparing to head off to bed. Before he did, however, he just wanted to check on Luffy, which became a habit ever since the day their mother had died.

Ace opened the door to Luffy's bedroom, just a crack, so he could see.

Inside, Luffy had already fallen fast asleep in bed, his daytime clothes tossed carelessly to the floor. For once, he wasn't snoring as loud as he usually does every night.

Sleeping by his side…was Blizzard.

At that moment, Ace spotted the soft smile his little brother had on his face as he pulled the white dog closer to him in his sleep, nuzzling his face.

Ace heaved a sigh.

Taking that dog to shelter was probably going to kill Luffy…but a dog would probably be too much work.

* * *

><p>Read and review, please!<p> 


	4. The Decision is Made

**Ch. 4- The Decision is Made**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ace and Luffy drove to the animal shelter with Blizzard, but upon arriving, they learned that the shelter wasn't taking anymore dogs because of the recent rescue that had been made.<p>

That didn't deter Ace, however. When he said that he won't allow Blizzard in the house, he meant it.

He started posting "Lost Dog" posters around town, seeing if Blizzard actually did belong to someone, despite Luffy insisting that he was a stray.

So far, no one had contacted him about it, yet.

XXX

Ace had just finished preparing lunch and was about to call Luffy inside from the backyard.

Suddenly, the phone started to ring.

Ace picked up the receiver and pressed the "talk" button.

"Hello?" said Ace.

"**Yo, Ace. It's me."**

"Oh, hey, Marco!"

"**Listen, I saw these posters that you set up about some dog you and Luffy found."**

"Oh, you're calling about the dog, huh? Is he yours?"

"**Well, no, but I was thinking about adopting a dog. What do you say I take him off your hands?"**

"So you wanna adopt him, huh? Well, I gotta talk to Luffy, first."

As Ace headed to the back door, he looked outside.

There, Luffy was with Blizzard, holding a stick in his hand. Apparently, he trying to teach the dog how to fetch, but Blizzard didn't seem to grasp the concept. Luffy, in an attempt to teach him, ran off after the stick and crawled back to Blizzard on his hands and knees with the stick in his mouth.

When they tried, again, Blizzard went to chase after the stick when Luffy threw it, and brought it back to the teen, dropping the now saliva coated tree limb in his palm.

Luffy got down on his knees, scratching Blizzard's shoulders and giving him praise, a broad smile on his face.

Ace lowered the phone from his ear, slightly, as he watched Luffy and Blizzard. He hadn't seen his little brother smile like that in years.

Ever since their mother died of cancer 3 years ago, Luffy had become like that of a typical thug, always picking fights at school and never hanging out with his friends, especially on weekends.

Maybe this dog was just what he needed.

"**Ace? You there?"**

Upon hearing Marco's voice on the other line, Ace held the phone back up to his ears.

"Uh, hey, Marco," said Ace. "Listen, about the dog…I'm sorry, but…he's taken."

"**I see. Well, it's okay, Ace. I think I'll go down to the shelter. See ya at work!"**

"Yeah, see ya."

With that, Ace hung up the phone. He heaved a sigh.

"I've got to be outta mind," he thought aloud before he opened the door to the backyard. "Yo, Luffy!"

Luffy and Blizzard looked up at Ace, who began to approach. Of course, the former was still miffed at his older brother for trying to give the dog away.

"What do you want?" questioned Luffy, bluntly.

"Luffy, I've been thinking," said Ace. "You obviously like this dog."

"Not just 'like' him, Ace. I love Blizzard."

"Yeah, I know…and you obviously don't want me to give him away."

"Uh-huh."

"So, I've decided…that Blizzard can stay."

Luffy's jaw dropped.

"Did you just say what I think you just said?" he asked.

"Yes," Ace answered. "Blizzard can stay."

That was all Luffy needed to hear.

Without warning, he suddenly jumped at Ace, arms and legs wrapped around his body.

"Oh, thank you, Ace!" Luffy exclaimed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!"

"Okay, okay!" Ace said in protest. "I get it, Luffy! Now get off me! What if the neighbors see us?"

Luffy let go of Ace, still smiling. Then he turned to Blizzard, who sat down on the lawn, wagging his tail.

Luffy knelt down and pulled Blizzard into a hug.

"Blizzard…" he whispered. "From now on…you're mine for as long as you live."

* * *

><p>Read and review, please!<p> 


	5. Good Luck Charm

**Ch. 5- Good Luck Charm**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>The weekend seemed to go by fast since Blizzard had been taken into Ace and Luffy's care.<p>

Speaking of care, Ace had to lay down some ground rules.

First off, he didn't want to be the one who ended up taking care of Blizzard, so he made it very clear that he was Luffy's responsibility. Luffy had to make sure to feed him, give him water, take him for walks, and even pick up his…unmentionables.

Luffy agreed to all that, whether he liked it or not. He was just happy that he had finally gotten himself a dog.

XXX

7:00 am. Monday, March 15th.

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**

Luffy awoke to the sound of his alarm clock blaring. Sleepily, he pressed the "snooze" button, but didn't bother getting out of bed.

Suddenly, he felt a wet, tickling sensation on his feet, causing him to burst into laughter.

"Okay!" he said. "Okay, Blizzard! Knock it off! Ha-ha! I'm awake! I'm awake!"

Luffy sat up to see Blizzard, wagging his tails, tongue dangling from his mouth, and also sporting the new black leather collar that Luffy had gotten from Hocker's Pet Store, complete with skull-and-crossbones pendant.

"Good morning, buddy," he said.

**ARF!** Blizzard barked in greeting.

Luffy looked over to his alarm and saw the time.

"7 o'clock," he muttered. "That's early."

With a yawn, Luffy got out of bed and left his bedroom with Blizzard following close behind. As he did, he spotted Ace exiting his own room, as well, yawning.

"Morning, Ace," Luffy greeted.

"Morning, Luffy," Ace greeted back, tiredly. However, he suddenly became alert when he realized that it was Luffy he was talking to. "Luffy! You're up!"

"Uh…yeah…?" Luffy replied. "Is there a problem?"

"No…" answered Ace. "It's just…you haven't been up this early…ever since…you know."

Luffy felt his heart sink into his stomach.

"You know what?" Ace asked. "Let's not talk about that! How about waffles?"

Luffy's face immediately lit back up.

"Yeah!" he said.

With that, Ace went to make breakfast.

It had been a while since Luffy actually sat down and ate breakfast with Ace on weekdays, since Luffy was always in such a rush to get to school on time.

Luffy sat down once the waffles were done, took the maple syrup in hand and began to pour almost half the bottle on his waffles.

Ace managed to snatch it away.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Ace said. "Don't forget, I'm here, too!"

With that, the brothers began to eat their breakfast together. During this time, Blizzard would try and beg for a bite of Luffy's waffle by pawing at his leg. The teen would eventually give in and give Blizzard a bite. Ace also found it hard to resist and (reluctantly) gave the dog a bite of his waffles, too.

By the time they were finished, Luffy saw that it was already 7:30, so he decided to hurry and get ready for school.

He went to his room and picked out his usual outfit and went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. It had been such a long time since he had one that he had forgotten how soothing it was.

After his shower, Luffy proceeded to brush his teeth. He missed the feel of the toothbrush against his gums and taste of mint-y toothpaste. There was once a time in his childhood when he actually swallowed a whole tube.

"Luffy!" came Ace's voice from the living room. "The bus is here!"

Luffy spat out the frothy toothpaste, rinsed his mouth out, and then hurried out of the bathroom. Before he headed out the door, however, he remembered on crucial thing: his lunchbox.

Assuring himself that he had everything he needed, Luffy headed out the door.

"Bye, Ace!" Luffy called.

"See you when I get home from work!" Ace called back.

As Luffy left, Blizzard began to bark wildly before he suddenly ran out of the door.

"Blizzard!" Ace called. "Blizzard, come back here!"

It was too late. Blizzard was now chasing after Luffy's school bus. Ace was about to go after him, but then decided that the dog would probably tire out and come back home by himself.

"Well," Ace said, "time for me to start hitting the road, too."

XXX

On the bus, Luffy was sitting in the back with Zoro and Usopp, the latter of whom had his left arm in a cast.

"What happened to your arm, Usopp?" asked Luffy.

"Uh…it got broken in two places," answered Usopp. "It's a long story."

Luffy gave Usopp an inquisitive look, but then shrugged it off and sat back against his seat.

XXX

The school bus arrived at East Blue High, just five minutes before the bell rang.

The students un-boarded the bus, one-by-one, and were free to walk around the campus until class started.

As Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Nami, and Vivi were getting off the bus, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye.

"Blizzard?"

"What blizzard?" Nami asked. "It's Spring."

"No, no, no," Luffy said. "He's my dog. Look!"

Coming closer into view was Blizzard, trotting up to Luffy, who knelt down and began to scratch and pet him.

"Blizzard," Luffy said. "What are you doing here, buddy?"

"Aww…!" Vivi swooned. "He's cute!"

"What a pretty dog!" Nami added.

"Since when did you get a dog?" Zoro asked.

"Since Saturday," Luffy answered. "Well, actually, I found him on Friday…or, he found me, or vice versa or whatever. He kind of followed me home. Ace wasn't gonna let me keep him, but then he changed his mind."

"That's a dog?" Usopp questioned. "He looks more like a wolf!"

"He's a Husky!" Luffy said. "Huskies are like wolves, remember?"

"Are you sure he's a Husky?" asked Zoro.

"Well, he looks like a Husky," Luffy replied, "so I figured that he is one."

"If you say so," said the others.

_**BRRIIIIIIIIIINNG!**_

"Time for class," said Zoro. "Let's get moving.

As the five friends prepared to head into the building, Blizzard prepared to follow them inside.

Luffy turned to him and pointed back the way the dog came.

"No, Blizzard," said Luffy. "Go home!"

Blizzard just stood there, wagging his tail.

"Blizzard, you can't go into the building with me," said Luffy. "You're gonna get me in trouble, buddy!"

Blizzard seemed to understand what Luffy was implying, for he sat down next to the bike rack.

It appeared that he was going to stay out here rather than go home.

"Well, at least he won't follow me," said Luffy before he ran to catch up with the others.

Blizzard just watched before he let out a lazy yawn and laid down for a nap.

XXX

First period class: geometry.

Luffy had to retake the test, once again. Today, however, he felt rather lucky. Sure, he didn't study, but he was going to at least try to get his grade up.

As usual, Luffy would just circle the answers, hoping that they were right, while everyone else worked silently.

Once Luffy was finished, he handed in his test sheet to Ms. Hina and then waited for the class to end.

XXX

_**BRRIIIIIIIIIIIIINNG!**_

First period class was over and the 10-minute break had begun.

Zoro noticed that Luffy hadn't been complaining of hunger during class.

"I had a big breakfast, today," Luffy stated, patting his stomach.

Just then, the two boys spotted something up ahead.

It was Vivi and Usopp, standing in front of the girl's bathroom door.

"Nami, will you please come out?" Vivi asked.

"Leave me alone!"

"What's going on?" asked Luffy.

"I dunno," said Zoro. "Let's check it out."

With that, Luffy and Zoro headed to the girl's bathroom.

"What's the matter?" asked Luffy.

"It's Nami," said Vivi. "She seemed fine earlier today!"

"But after first period, she started crying, outta nowhere, and just ran into the girl's bathroom," said Usopp. "She said she doesn't wanna come out."

Luffy furrowed his brow before he approached the door and wrapped his knuckles against it.

"Nami!" he called. "It's me, Luffy!"

"Go away, Luffy!" Nami called from behind the door.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong," said Luffy.

"It's none of your business, now just leave me alone!"

"Nami, we're worried about you," said Luffy. "Are you sure don't wanna talk about it? Just you and me?"

A pause came.

Then, Nami opened the door, just a crack, revealing her tear-filled, tawny brown eyes.

Luffy turned to the others.

"Go on, you guys," he said. "I'll take it from here."

Zoro, Usopp, and Vivi nodded their heads in understanding before they walked off. At that moment, Nami came out of the bathroom and faced Luffy, wiping her tears.

"Now," said Luffy, "what's the matter?"

"Oh, Luffy…" Nami started, "…I had a horrible weekend."

"What happened?" Luffy asked.

"Sanji and I…we had to break up," Nami said.

Luffy's eyes widened in disbelief.

He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Nami and Sanji…broke up? Nami was single now? At last! Luffy finally had his secret heartthrob all to himself!

…but wait. He couldn't just ask Nami out, right then and there. The last thing he ever wanted to be was shallow.

"I'm sorry, Nami," Luffy apologized.

"It's not your fault," Nami said. "It's just…I couldn't take it anymore! I was at my wit's end! Sanji…he was just way too clingy! He was always coming over to my house, 24/7, not to mention he kept calling me every 10 to 15 minutes on my cell phone! I checked my messages on my cell phone, and it turns out that he'd been calling me at 3 in the morning!"

"Yikes," said Luffy.

"That's not the worst part," said Nami, dreadfully. "We both know how jealous Sanji gets, especially around you, Zoro, and Usopp! Well, guess what? On Saturday night, Sanji and I were having our date at an Italian restaurant, and it turns that Usopp was there, too! Usopp comes over, just to say 'hi', and then out of the blue, Sanji gets up and kicks him in the arm!"

Luffy gasped silently. So that explained why Usopp was wearing a cast!

"After I called the hospital, I just couldn't take it anymore," Nami continued. "I told Sanji…that we needed a break. After that, I left…but…I was so heartbroken. I always thought that Sanji was the perfect guy for me…but boy, was I wrong."

Before long, Nami's tears began to return.

Then, out of the blue, Luffy gently pulled Nami into his arms. He held her head and pressed her ear up against his chest, where she could hear his soft but strong heartbeat.

"Nami, if you ask me," said Luffy, "I'd say that you're too good for Sanji."

That seemed to lift Nami's spirits a bit, for she smiled a little.

The orange-haired girl pulled away from Luffy, sniffling and smiling. Luffy, also smiling, raised a hand gently wiped Nami's tears away.

"You've got my number, right?" asked Luffy, earning a nod from the girl. "If you're not feeling any better, then why don't you call me later?"

Nami nodded again in understanding.

"Thanks, Luffy," she said.

Luffy grinned at Nami, chuckling.

_**BRRIIIIIIIIING!**_ The bell for second period rang.

"Time for gym class," said Luffy.

XXX

Second period: gym.

Today, Buggy had everyone partake in rope-climbing.

Zoro went first, then Usopp, then Bellamy, then Vivi, Nami, Lily, Sarquiss, and so on and so forth until Luffy was up next.

Luffy, using all the strength he could muster, climbed the rope in a matter of seconds before he reached the top and rang the bell. He then dropped down on the cushion below.

"Well done, Monkey," Buggy said. "It appears you've decided to step up your game a little bit! I have to admit, I'm a little impressed."

Luffy snickered and grinned.

"But you'll have to step your game up a lot more if you wanna get through my class," said Buggy, a snicker in his throat.

"Anytime, anyplace," said Luffy, "Big Nose."

Buggy froze and snorted in anger, while everyone else just burst into a laughter.

Outside the gym doors, Principal Shanks happened to be passing by, and even he couldn't help but chuckle a little at the crack that Luffy had made.

_**BRRIIIIIIIIIIIIINNG!**_ The bell rang, once again, signaling the end of second period.

XXX

Lunch period.

The students had gathered into the cafeteria.

Zoro was having sushi.

Nami was having a turkey sandwich with lettuce and a small amount of mayonnaise with a tangerine orange at the side.

Usopp had a couple slices of pepperoni-ham-mushroom-and-pepper pizza.

Vivi had a salad.

Luffy had a boxed lunch with three ham sandwiches, some rice, two fried eggs, and sausages.

The raven-haired teen licked his lips, hungrily. It had been such a long time since he got to enjoy his big brother's boxed lunches. He couldn't wait to dig in.

Just when he was about to eat, he suddenly froze.

He just remembered that Blizzard was still outside. If anything, the poor dog was probably hungry.

With that in mind, Luffy picked up his lunchbox and headed outside.

XXX

Blizzard laid near the bike, asleep. Just then, he felt a shadow hang over him. Looking up, he saw that it was Luffy, holding his lunchbox.

"Hey, Blizzard," Luffy greeted as he sat down. "You hungry?"

Blizzard sat up, eagerly, licking his chops. Luffy just chuckled as he opened up the lunchbox and picked up a sausage with his chopsticks. He raised the sausage up to Blizzard's mouth, allowing the dog to chomp on it, ravenously.

Luffy spent the entire lunch period eating his lunch and feeding some of his food to Blizzard. By the time they had finished…

_**BRRIIIIIIIIIIINNG!**_

…lunch period was over.

"See you when I get out, buddy," Luffy said as he got up and prepared to head to his third period class.

XXX

As Luffy was heading to history class, he happened run into Ms. Hina, who gave him his test sheet.

He couldn't believe the grade he got.

"B+…?" he whispered. "Sweet!"

It wasn't an A, but it was a whole lot better than an F- in Luffy's case.

And so, Luffy headed off to his history class.

XXX

Third period: history.

No falling asleep in class, this time.

Luffy was going to stay focused and pay attention to every word Ms. Nico had to say. He skimmed through the textbook and did all the work that was assigned.

Of course, he still had detention from sleeping in class on Friday.

However, at the end of class, Ms. Nico noticed Blizzard sitting outside at the bike stand.

"Oh, that's my dog, Blizzard," Luffy told her.

Ms. Nico decided that she couldn't make Luffy stay in class longer if it meant making his dog wait any longer and told Luffy that he was off from detention.

"Thanks, Ms. Nico!"

"My pleasure."

With that, Luffy left the class, heading outside.

XXX

_**BRRIIIIIIIIINNG!**_

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

The moment Luffy was outside, he was soon greeted by Blizzard, who tackled him to the ground and smothered him with doggy kisses.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Luffy laughed as his face was now drenched in Blizzard's slobber. "I'm glad to see you, too, buddy!"

Blizzard got off of Luffy, allowing him to stand.

"You ready to go home, buddy?" asked Luffy.

**WOOF!** Blizzard barked, as if to say "Yep!"

Just when the teen and dog were preparing to leave…

"Yo, Straw Hat!"

Luffy froze, and then heaved a frustrated sigh.

"Oh, great," he muttered, sarcastically before he turned to see Bellamy and his gang approaching him from behind.

"Where you going, Straw Hat?" Bellamy asked, his usual sick grin on his face. "Home?"

"Where the hell do you think I'm going?" Luffy questioned. "I don't feel like dealing with your crap today, Bellamy, now and your buddies just back off!"

**Grr~!** Blizzard growled at the tanned blonde teen.

(A/N: Yeah, Bellamy and his gang are teens in this story.)

"Well, look at this, boss," Sarquiss said. "Straw Hat's got himself a puppy-dog!"

"Aww," Lily swooned. "He's kind of cute for a shabby little mutt."

"You leave Blizzard outta this!" Luffy spat.

"Hey!" Sarquiss spat back. "Nobody talks to Lily like that but me, Straw Hat!"

"Maybe you need to be taught a lesson!" Bellamy growled as he grabbed by his shirt collar and raised a fist up.

Luffy glared, preparing to take the fist head-on, but then, he found himself being let go when Bellamy yelled out in pain, all of a sudden.

It turns out that Blizzard was biting him on his ankle.

Bellamy growled as he tried to shake his leg away.

"You damn dog!" he cursed.

**WHAM!** He kicked Blizzard in the side, forcing him to let go.

"Why you…!" snarled Bellamy. "You got some nerve, mutt!"

"We'll show you what happens when you mess with the Hyena Gang!" added Sarquiss.

**STOMP! WHACK! BAP!** Bellamy and Sarquiss stomped their feet and kicked Blizzard, repeatedly, and the dog didn't even attempt to get up and fight back.

Seeing this made Luffy's blood boil and his adrenaline pumping. Without warning, he suddenly got up, dashed at Bellamy, and then, as quick as lightning, laid a hard, fast sucker punch to the bully's cheek.

Bellamy was sent flying several feet with a stream of blood following behind him, much to the shock of Sarquiss and Lily.

Luffy stood up, fists clenched tight besides him, the left of which of was dripping with Bellamy's blood. His eyes had a killer glare in them, and a vein had appeared on his forehead.

"You do that, again…" the black-haired teen hissed, "…and I'll kick your ass so hard, you won't know up from down!"

Sarquiss and Lily swallowed the lumps in their throats as they began to back away. Even Bellamy seemed a bit frightened by Luffy's sudden fury.

With that, the Hyena Gang turned and fled.

At that moment, Luffy stared on in disbelief.

He had actually managed to scare off Bellamy and his gang, just like how Zoro always did. Seeing Blizzard getting a beating like that fueled Luffy with unbelievable strength and anger.

Speaking of whom, Blizzard just got up and was wagging his tail, as if Bellamy and Sarquiss beating on him never happened at all.

It was then that realization hit Luffy like a ton- no, make that TWO tons of bricks.

Things didn't start going his way…until Blizzard showed up.

Could it be possibly that Blizzard was a godsend?

Whatever the case may be, Luffy knew that Blizzard was special, and from that moment on, he had decided right then and there that his dog…was his living good luck charm.

"You know what, Blizzard?" Luffy asked as he pet his dog. "I think you should stick with me more often."

**ARF!** Blizzard barked in agreement.

And so, Luffy decided that instead of taking the bus or hitching a ride with Zoro…he'd walk home with Blizzard.

* * *

><p>Read and review, please!<p> 


	6. The Call

**Ch. 6- The Call**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>4:26 pm.<p>

Luffy and Blizzard arrived home an hour after they left from school.

After Luffy got his homework done, he put some leftover pizza from last night in the microwave, sat on the couch, and flicked on the T.V. Blizzard soon joined him, jumping on the couch and lying down next to him.

Luffy skimmed through the channels until he found the music channel: the samba network.

Luffy loved listening to samba when he came home from school. It always helped him unwind. He didn't quite know how or why, it just did.

As Luffy drummed on his lap to the rhythm of the music, the phone suddenly rang. The teen reached over, picked it up, pressed "talk", and put it up against his ear.

"Hello?"

"**Hey, Luffy. It's Nami."**

Luffy's eyes widened in surprise. He knew he told Nami to call him if she wasn't feeling any better, but he didn't really expect to her actually call.

"**Luffy? Are you there?"**

"Y-yeah! I'm here!"

"**I'm still feeling pretty bad. Nojiko's not home, yet, and Vivi's busy with her studies, so…I took your advice and decided to give you a ring."**

"I see."

"**So, what are you doing?"**

"Uh, nothing much. Just sitting here on the couch with Blizzard, listening to my samba music. Helps me relax, you know?"

"**I see."**

"So what are you doing?"

"**Oh, you know me. Study, study, study."**

"Yikes."

"**I know. Hey! I heard you gave it good to Bellamy after school! About time, huh?"**

"Oh, hell yeah! You should've seen it, too! He practically had waterfalls of blood coming from his mouth and nose! Even a few teeth fell out!"

"**Ha-ha-ha-ha!"**

"After that, they ran like a bunch of sissies! I could've sworn I saw Sarquiss pee his pants!"

"**Oh, I bet! So, how's everything else going?"**

"Good. Good, so far. You?"

"**Well, now that I started talking to you…yeah. Things have been going good for me, too."**

Luffy smiled.

"You know…I'm not doing anything tomorrow."

"**Me, neither."**

"So…you, uh…you wanna hang out, later after school? Just you and me?"

"…**sure."**

"Okay! Pick you up at six?"

"**Yeah. See you tomorrow, Luffy. It's been nice talking to you."**

"You, too. Bye."

"**Bye."**

Luffy hung up the phone.

There was a momentary pause…but then…

"YES!" Luffy stood up from the couch and cheered so loud that it could probably wake the dead. "Oh, yeah! Finally! WHOO-HOO~!" He then flopped back down on the couch, heaving a sigh. "Life…is…good…"

Just then, the door opened, revealing Ace.

"Ace?" Luffy said. "What are you doing back so early? It's, like, 4:32."

"I forgot to take my pep pills," said Ace.

To further explain things, Ace had been diagnosed with narcolepsy when he was 10. The doctor prescribed him with pep pills so he could be able to stay awake whenever he was driving or at work.

Back to the real matter at hand.

Ace had noticed something rather odd, and yet familiar at the same time. He felt a positive, rather tranquil energy emanating from his little brother.

"Judging by your face," said Ace, "I'd say you had a pretty good day, today."

"I sure did," Luffy said. "First, I redid my geometry test, and I got a B+!"

"Really?" Ace asked, surprised.

"Yeah! And after that, I did good in gym, and I didn't fall asleep in history class! After school, I actually managed to scare Bellamy off, and just now, Nami called me and I landed a date with her, tomorrow!"

Ace laughed at that.

"It's weird," said Luffy. "All these things didn't start happening until Blizzard came."

"Sounds to me like he's your good luck charm," Ace commented.

Luffy looked over to Blizzard, who lazily laid in his lap. The teen smiled and pet his dog on the head, earning a pleasured whine.

"Yeah," said Luffy. "He is, isn't he?"

* * *

><p>Read and review, please!<p> 


	7. The Date

**Ch. 7- The Date**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>3:45 pm. Tuesday, March 16th.<p>

_**BRRIIIIIIIIINNG!**_

The bell for school had rung, signaling the end of the day, once again.

Luffy was heading home for the day. Today, he decided to take his bike, again, considering the nice weather. Of course, Blizzard came along with him and waited for him to come out.

Today had been as good as yesterday. Luffy was able to do both his geometry and history without distractions or falling asleep in class. He also tried out for the school soccer team and made it, as did Zoro, Usopp, and other students. Nami and Vivi were cheerleaders, so they didn't actually count.

Plus, he hadn't seen hide or hair of the Hyena Gang since yesterday.

As Luffy and Blizzard headed for home, the former only had one thing in mind: his date with Nami tonight.

XXX

5:50 pm.

Luffy was preparing to go to Nami's house and pick her up. He had just gotten through looking himself over in the bathroom and was leaving a note for Ace, telling him that he'd be gone for a while.

As he prepared to head out the door, he turned to Blizzard, who was lying on the sofa.

"Ace will be home, later, buddy," said Luffy. "Until then, be a good boy and try not to mess up the house. Okay?"

**WOOF!** Blizzard barked at the teen.

With that, Luffy left, shutting the door behind him.

XXX

6:00 pm.

Luffy had arrived at Nami's house, right on time.

**BZZZZ!** He rang the doorbell.

"Coming! Coming!"

The door opens, revealing Nami's older sister, Nojiko.

"Oh, hey, Luffy!" she greeted.

"Hey, Nojiko," Luffy greeted back. "I came to pick up Nami."

"Of course," Nojiko said. "Let me go get her." She turned to face the stairs. "NAMI~! LUFFY'S HERE~!"

"You don't have to yell, Nojiko! I heard his voice!"

Nojiko turned back to Luffy.

"She'll be right down," she told him.

Luffy stood in the doorway, his hands in his pockets, tapping his toe impatiently.

At that moment, Nami came down the stairs. She was dressed in a purple shirt with the number 73 on the back, and wore a periwinkle skirt with light orange rhinestones on the trims.

Luffy felt his heart beating overtime when he saw her.

"Hey, Luffy," she said. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Luffy replied.

Nami smiled as she and Luffy headed out the door.

"Luffy!" Nojiko called after the two. "I want you to bring Nami home by 8:30!"

"Okay!" Luffy called back.

And so, Luffy and Nami's date began.

XXX

6:23 pm.

Luffy and Nami went to the local Italian restaurant. There, they ordered some garlic-and-cheese lasagna.

Luffy ate his rather messily, despite his hardest to behave in front of Nami. He was afraid that she might disgusted with his eating habits, but then again, she always with him and the rest of the guys during lunch at school, and it didn't seem to bother her once. Still, Luffy decided to tone it down a bit with the eating.

During this time, he couldn't help but notice that Nami was smiling a little.

XXX

7: 14 pm.

Luffy and Nami arrived at Going Merry Park. They, along with Zoro, Usopp, and Vivi, would come down here when they children, and they still do, today, only now, they prefer Going Merry Park as their hangout on weekends, and, often, after school.

As the two teens walked through the flower garden of the park, Luffy picked a white flower and gently tucked it in hair, the stem curled behind her ear.

"It brings out your hair, even more," he told Nami.

Nami smiled at Luffy as they continued their walk through the park. The latter of the two couldn't help but notice that the former had a soft tint of pink on her cheeks.

Luffy smiled a bit at that.

XXX

7: 55 pm.

After a lot of walking and talking, Luffy and Nami ended up at the park fountain. The fountain statues consisted of two mermaids holding up a baby whale.

The two teens sat at the fountain's, not too close to the water so as not to fall in. As they say, they looked up to the starry Spring sky.

"It looks beautiful," Nami commented. "Like a sea of stars."

"Yeah," Luffy said. "You know, when I get older, I wanna go out to sea someday. See the world and what it has to offer. Maybe you could come with me."

"Maybe," said Nami. "To be honest, I really wanna be a meteorologist. Predict the weather and all that."

"That's fine," said Luffy. "It won't really matter to me what you decide to do."

A slight pause came. The only thing that broke the silence was the gurgling of the fountain.

"Hey, Nami," Luffy said.

"Yeah?" Nami replied.

"There's something I have to tell you."

"What is it, Luffy?"

"I…uh…oh, boy…"

"What? Just spit it out."

"Nami…I like you."

Nami smiled at Luffy.

"I like you, too, Luffy," she said.

"N-no, you don't understand. I…I LIKE, like you."

Another slight pause.

"You mean you…you LOVE me?" Nami asked.

"Yeah," Luffy answered. "I have since the day I met you."

"Well…why didn't you say anything, before?"

"I wanted to…but, when I found out that you were going out with Sanji…I knew I missed my chance. Look, I probably sound shallow, right now, for telling you two days after you broke up with Sanji and everything, but I just had to get it off my chest!"

Yet another pause.

Luffy heaved a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Nami. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't wanna see me, anymore, but I just couldn't stand keeping it bottle-"

Before Luffy could finish, Nami suddenly grabbed him by his shoulders, looked him dead in the eye, and then…she captured his lips with hers.

Luffy's eyes went as wide as saucers. He didn't really know how to react to this, but soon, instinct took over, and his eyes fluttered closed as he deepened the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Nami, who did the same with his neck. Waves of passion exploded within the two as they began to hungrily grind each other's mouths.

They didn't know if anyone was watching, nor did they care. All that mattered to them now was their kiss…and how right it felt.

The two broke away to breathe, a thin string of saliva forming across one lip to another. The moment they did, they soon looked each other in the eye, again, and Luffy gently pressed his forehead against Nami's, a soft smile upon his face. Nami returned to the smile, her lips slightly swollen and a tad sore from the kiss.

No words were spoken, for they were not needed.

Nami had physically told Luffy that she loved him back.

XXX

8:45 pm.

Luffy had just returned home after he had dropped Nami off 15 minutes earlier. As soon as he got back, he was greeted by Blizzard, who jumped up and licked his face.

"Hey, buddy!" Luffy greeted as he scratched the dog's ears. "You been a good boy, huh?"

Blizzard seemed to nod his head.

"Well, look who just came home."

Luffy looked up and saw Ace approaching him from his room.

For some reason, something was telling Luffy that he should be bolting for his room.

"Hey, Ace," said Luffy. "Is…something the matter?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked, Luffy," he said. "When we took Blizzard in, we agreed on some ground rules. One of those ground rules was to put him in the backyard when no else is at home."

"Yeah, so?" asked Luffy.

Ace pulled something out of his pocket. That something appeared to be a pair of boxers with a flame pattern on it…only, they were in shreds.

"When I got back," Ace started, "I found these in the dog's mouth. These were my favorite pair of drawers. You know what's coming, don't you?"

Luffy swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Oh, c'mon, Ace," he said, nervously. "It was an accident!"

Ace put his index finger in his mouth, and then pulled it out, revealing a glob of spit.

"C'mon, Ace!" Luffy protested as he backed away. "Please, not Wet Willy!"

"Yes, Luffy," Ace said. "Wet Willy!"

There was a silence, but it was soon broken by a disgusted, agonized scream.

* * *

><p>Read and review, please!<p> 


	8. Luffy and Sanji's Truce

**Ch. 8- Luffy & Sanji's Truce**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>10:07 am. Thursday, March 18th.<p>

It was second period at East Blue High, and Luffy and the others were in gym class. They were outside on the field, practicing for the upcoming soccer match against the West Blue Sharks.

The moment Buggy blew the whistle, the team started to practice.

Zoro dribbled the soccer ball as he ran across the field, then passed it to Usopp, who passed it to Shuraiya, who dribbled it and then passed it to Luffy.

Luffy ran across the field, dribbling the ball between his feet until he kicked it into the goal.

**FWEET!** Buggy blew his whistle.

"All right, team!" he praised. "Good job! Now, we'll take a ten minute break and then resume practice!"

Luffy sat down on the bleachers to take a breather. He was soon joined by Zoro, who handed him a bottle of water.

"Thanks, man," Luffy said as he took a sip and let out a refreshed sigh.

"So, Luffy," said Zoro. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" asked Luffy.

"That you know and Nami are going out, now, simple," Zoro said.

"Oh, yeah!" Luffy said. "You weren't here, yesterday, were you? Yeah, Nami and I decided to go out, now."

"Huh," Zoro muttered. "I know a certain dumb-ass who's not gonna like this."

Luffy paused.

Sanji had not yet heard that he was going out with Nami, now, and when or if he ever found out, the man would possibly kick his ass for doing so.

Well, if a fight was what Sanji was going to want, then Luffy would gladly give it to him.

"Who gives a damn about what Sanji likes?" Luffy questioned. "If you ask me, he didn't deserve Nami, alright? Who'd you hear it from, anyway?"

"Usopp," said Zoro. "He fills me in on days when I'm not here."

Luffy heaved a rather annoyed sigh.

**FWEET!** Buggy blew his whistle, signaling the start of practice, once again.

XXX

4:44 pm.

Luffy and Nami were walking through Going Merry Park, hand-in-hand with Blizzard. They were smiling, laughing, and chatting with each other, like the time when Luffy and Ace went camping one summer.

"Ace still can't forgive me for farting in the tent that day, and that's why I don't eat clams anymore."

Nami couldn't help but laugh, as gross as it sounded.

"That kind of sounds like the time Usopp made me laugh so hard that I squirted tangerine juice outta my nose in kindergarten," she said.

"Oh, I remember that day!" Luffy exclaimed. "Man, that was funny!"

As they walked, Blizzard suddenly stopped before they did. Looking ahead, they saw that it was none other than Sanji…and he was coming their way.

"Oh, god…!" Nami gasped. "It's Sanji! Quick, Luffy! We better get outta here before he sees us!"

"No," Luffy said. "I'm not running from Sanji, this time. I think it's time he found out, anyway!"

Nami felt her stomach clench with unease. If anything, Sanji would probably try to pick a fight with Luffy over her, and truth be told, that was the last thing she'd ever want or need.

Sanji soon stopped in front of the two teens.

"Luffy," Sanji greeted.

"Sanji," Luffy greeted back.

"So," Sanji started, "word on the street is you and Nami are going out, now. That true?"

"Yeah, it is," Luffy said.

"You do realize that she just got through breaking up with me, don't you?" Sanji asked.

"She's over it, now," Luffy remarked. "And I think there's something else you should know. I liked Nami way longer than you ever did."

"That so?" Sanji questioned.

"Yeah," Luffy replied. "I told her, myself, too."

"I see," said Sanji. "Well, I've only got one thing to say about that."

Luffy clenched his hands into fists, preparing for the worst. Instead, Sanji just placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Truce?" he asked.

Luffy cocked an eyebrow in confusion. Even Nami was taken back by this.

"Excuse me?" Luffy inquired.

"What I'm trying to say is," Sanji began, "I'm sorry I was such a jerk before…and…I think Nami's better off with you than me. So, what do you say? Truce?"

Luffy stared at Sanji in disbelief. He had come all this way to the park to apologize for being such a jackass to him before?

Well, it was better than starting a fight, it appeared.

"Sure," said Luffy with a smile. "Truce."

With that, Luffy and Sanji shook hands.

"So I guess this means that we're friends, now?" Luffy inquired.

"You could say that," said Sanji. "Somehow, I feel like I can trust you with her." He then turned to Nami. "You're okay with this, right, Nami?"

"Yeah," Nami said with a smile.

Sanji smiled back. At that moment, he noticed Blizzard, who had sat by the whole time.

"Who's this?" Sanji asked.

"This is Blizzard," Luffy said. "I got him last week."

Sanji reached down to let Blizzard sniff his hand, which he did, as well as licked it. The blonde young man and gently scratched under his chin.

"Nice to meet you, Blizzard," Sanji said.

Blizzard returned a friendly smile, and Luffy and Nami smiled as well.

"Would you like to join us for a bit of walk, Sanji?" Nami asked.

"Yes," Sanji answered. "I'd like that, very much. Thank you."

And so, Luffy, Nami, Blizzard, and Sanji continued their walk through the park. With their new truce, Luffy had now made a friend out of a former rival.

* * *

><p>Sorry it took so long...and if it wasn't what you guys were expecting.<p>

Anyway, review please!


	9. Falling Out

**Ch. 9- Falling Out**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Friday, March 19th. 11:45 pm.<p>

Ace was sitting on the couch, all on his lonesome. Well, Blizzard was there, too, but he was too scared by Ace's current mood to go near him.

3 hours ago, after Ace got home, Zoro came by and said that he wanted Luffy to come hang out with him. Ace allowed it, but he told Zoro that he wanted Luffy home by 8:30, even though it was Friday night.

Luffy was supposed to be home 3 hours and 15 minutes ago, and yet he hasn't shown up, thus not only worrying Ace but causing him to get angry at Zoro, as well.

At that moment, Ace heard a knock at the door.

"That better be who I think it is," he said as he walked up to the door and opened it.

It was revealed that it was Zoro, and leaning next to him was Luffy, who looked like he had seen better days.

First of all, his expression seemed dazed and flushed, and he had on this rather crooked smile on his face. Second, there was a rope of saliva hanging from his lips, plus he was hiccupping. Plus, he was swaying and staggering in a somewhat drunken manner.

"Hey, Ace," Zoro greeted, nonchalantly.

"Don't you 'Hey, Ace' me!" Ace spat. "Zoro, what the hell? I told you to bring him home by 8:30! And why does Luffy look like-" he stopped when he smelled the familiar scent of drinking alcohol on his little brother's breath. "Oh, my god…Luffy, are you drunk?"

"No, I'm not, you son of a bitch~!" Luffy said in a slurred voice. "I just…I just have trouble with the way I…I'm talking, right now…so butt out!"

"Zoro, what the HELL did you guys do?" Ace questioned.

"Ace, look, don't get all hot under the collar, okay?" Zoro said. "We just went down to the bar where I hang out at, and I told Luffy not to drink anything except water. I get up to the bathroom, and when I come back, I see him drinking a bottle of Corona, and before I can stop him, he's trying to flirt with the girls and he nearly gets into a fight with one of the thugs!"

Ace couldn't believe his ears. Without warning, he snatched Luffy from Zoro, bringing him to his side.

"Zoro," Ace started, a venomous tone in his voice, "I've been willing to accept yours and Luffy's friendship since the day you met, but I'm afraid you've crossed the line. I trusted you with my little brother's safety and expected you to bring him home to me in one piece, but no! Instead, you bring him home, a drunken mess!"

"Ace, I'm sorry," Zoro apologized.

"You don't look sorry, to me," Ace said. "Just do me a favor…find some other best friend…because you and Luffy aren't hanging out, anymore. Now go home."

Zoro's eyes widened. He didn't even react when Ace slammed the door in his face. He just stood there for what seemed like hours…until he finally turned, got in his car, backed out of the driveway, and headed home.

XXX

Saturday, March 20th. 10:32 am.

Luffy had finally woken up, complaining that it felt like his skull was about to split in two. It appeared that drinking that bottle of Corona had finally gotten to him and was giving him one massive hangover. After getting rid of the alcohol and bile that still lingered in his stomach, Luffy was sober enough to eat breakfast. He decided he just wanted a scrambled egg and a slice of toast.

"So, did Zoro go home, last night?" asked Luffy.

"Yeah, he did," Ace answered.

"I was thinking that maybe he and I could go to the arcade-" Luffy started, but then Ace cut him off.

"You're not hanging out with Zoro, anymore," he said.

Luffy paused in his eating, and then looked up at his brother.

"W-what?" he stammered, questioningly.

"You heard what I said, Luffy," Ace said.

"But…but why?" Luffy asked.

"Luffy, Zoro brought you home at 11:45 at night!" Ace told him. "Not just that, but you were drunk!"

"Well, at least he brought me home," Luffy said.

"You looked like you were about to drop on the floor if you didn't have anyone to hang on to!" Ace argued. "Luffy, I can't have you being friends with an alcoholic like Zoro!"

"Zoro's not an alcoholic!" Luffy remarked.

"Oh, yes, he is!" Ace argued.

"You're just jealous because he and I have a lot more fun than you do with your friends!"

"Oh, what kind of an excuse is that!"

"It's not an excuse!"

"Luffy, I'm only trying to live up to my promise to Mom! That's it!"

"Does your promise to Mom mean you're gonna be a big jackass?"

"If a jackass is what I have to be, then yes!"

Luffy sneered at Ace, who just sneered right back.

Then, out of the blue, Luffy left the table, headed to his room, put on his usual outfit, grabbed Blizzard's leash, hooked it on to his collar, and prepared to head out the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ace questioned.

"Where else?" Luffy snapped. "I'm going to Nami's!"

"I don't think so!" Ace spat.

Luffy twisted the knob and prepared to walk out the door.

"Luffy, you listen to me!" Ace barked. "You get back in here, right now!"

"No!" Luffy spat, venomously. "I'm sick and tired of listening to you! You're the worst brother in the world and I HATE YOU!"

**SLAM!** Luffy stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

Ace just stared at the door in disbelief. He had never once heard his little brother say that he hated him.

However, he decided not to let it get to him. With a scoff, he headed to his room to get his keys. He promised Thatch that he'd help him with something at his house, anyway.

As Ace headed out the door, he didn't realize that he had forgotten one crucial thing: his pep pills.

* * *

><p>Things don't look good.<p>

Review, please!


	10. Luffy and Zoro

**Ch. 10- Luffy and Zoro**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>1:24 pm.<p>

Luffy and Blizzard arrived at Nami's house and knocked on the door. The one who answered it was Nojiko.

"Hey, Luffy!" Nojiko greeted.

"Hey, Nojiko," said Luffy. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," Nojiko said. "Nami's in the living room."

Luffy entered the house with Blizzard following behind him. The moment he entered the living room, he was soon greeted by Nami.

"Hey, Luffy!" she said as she got up to hug him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Hey," Luffy greeted back as he returned the hug and the small kiss.

"Hey, Luffy."

Luffy looked up and saw Zoro, sitting in the armchair in front of the coffee table.

"Zoro!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, long story short, I came over to blow off a bit of steam," Zoro explained. "What about you?"

"I kind of came to blow off some steam, too," Luffy said. "Ace and I had a bit of a falling out."

"I see," Zoro said. "So I guess he told you that you and I can't hang out anymore?"

"You guessed right," answered Luffy with a humorless chuckle.

"He was kind of right to be mad," Zoro said. "I wasn't supposed to take you to the bar, last night."

"That's okay," said Luffy. "I just like being with you, Zoro. Aside from getting drunk last night, I had fun. I always have fun when I'm with you. You're my best friend, after all. Remember when we met? I decided right then and there that you would be my best friend forever."

Zoro smiled softly as the memory of the day he and Luffy met came into his mind.

_Flashback, 12 years ago_

A 6-year-old Zoro walked along the dirt road that lead to the playground at Going Merry Park. Tailing behind him was a 5-year-old Luffy.

Luffy noticed how Zoro had secluded from the rest of the kids at the park, so he decided that he would try and befriend this child. However, it didn't prove to be very easy since Zoro would always try to avoid him, whether at school or after school.

Eventually, Zoro had decided that he had enough of this weird kid following him around like a little lost kitten, so he turned to face Luffy with a rather annoyed expression.

"Okay, kid," said the disgruntled boy. "I've had enough of this. Why are you following me? What do you want from me?"

Luffy just stared at Zoro, a grin plastered on his face, before he simply said, "I wanna be friends with you."

Zoro stared in surprise. None of the kids had ever tried to befriend him so quick, before. The only child he knew who did that…was a friend who had long passed.

At that moment, Zoro felt an odd sensation beginning to form in his chest. An emptiness that he thought he would carry forever…until he met this smiley-faced boy.

From that moment on, Luffy and Zoro went on to be best friends forever, and they vowed that no one would tell them otherwise.

_Flashback end_

Luffy smiled at Zoro, who returned the smile. Then, without warning, the former approached the latter and wrapped his arms around him in a friendly but loving hug.

Nami, Nojiko, and Blizzard all smiled.

"Hey," Zoro said as he pulled away. "You know what this calls for?"

"Hot dogs?" Luffy questioned.

"My thoughts exactly," Zoro said.

Suddenly, Luffy heard his cell phone ring. He reached into his pocket, pulled it out, and flipped it open to see who was calling.

It was Ace.

Luffy made an irritated scoff. What did that jerk want, now?

He pressed the talk button and put it up to his ear.

"What the hell do you want, asshole?" Luffy questioned before he put on a look of surprise. "Oh, hey, Thatch! Why are you calling from Ace's phone?"

There was a pause. Then, Luffy's expression went from surprised…to somewhat horrified.

"WHAT?" he yelled. "But how?"

Everyone else in the room exchanged surprised glances at each other before looking back at Luffy.

What was going on?

"O-okay, okay!" Luffy said. "I'll be down there in a minute!"

With that, Luffy hung up.

"What's the problem?" Nojiko asked.

"Guys, I gotta get down to the hospital!" Luffy replied, frantically. "Ace has been in a car accident!"

Blizzard dropped his jaw and Nojiko gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth.

"Oh, my god!" Zoro exclaimed.

"Oh, no!" cried Nami.

"Quick!" Nojiko said. "We'll take my car!"

Everybody gathered into Nojiko's lavender Mustang. She pulled the stick into reverse, backed out, switched into drive, and slammed the sole of her shoe on the gas, speeding to the hospital.

Luffy's heart was pounding to the point where it felt like it would burst out of his chest any minute. He had never felt this scared since the last time he went to the hospital.

The last time he was there…his Mother had died before his very eyes.

Now he was afraid that Ace would meet a very similar fate.

It was then that Luffy let his mind travel back to earlier today, and he could hear the last words he shouted at his brother before he stormed out…

_I HATE YOU!_

Luffy hid his face in his hands, and all Nami could do was put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

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><p>Don't worry. It's not what you think.<p>

Review, please!


	11. Apology

**Ch. 11- Apology**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p>2:25 pm.<p>

Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Nojiko, and Blizzard arrived at the hospital.

There, they were greeted by Marco and Thatch, Ace's two best friends.

"Marco! Thatch!" Luffy called.

"Luffy!" Marco called back.

Luffy braked to a halt in front of the two young men.

"How's Ace?" he asked. "Please tell me he's okay! He's alive, right? At least tell me he's not a vegetable!"

"Luffy, calm down!" Thatch said. "Ace's all right. He just got out of surgery, and no, he's not a vegetable. He just has a mild concussion, a hairline fracture, and a bit of a whiplash. Plus, he got cut with glass just above his right eye."

Luffy heaved a sigh of relief, as did the others.

"How did he end up here, anyway?" asked Zoro.

"He fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a moving truck," Thatch answered. "Apparently, he must've forgotten to take his pills."

"If you want, you can go see him," said Marco. "He should be waking up, right about now."

Luffy turned away, a somewhat guilty look in his eyes.

"What's the matter, Luffy?" Nami asked. "Ace is okay. Don't you wanna go see him?"

"Yeah," Luffy answered.

"Then why don't you?" Zoro questioned.

"Because…I don't think he'd wanna see me, right now," said Luffy. "Guys…before I left the house…the last thing I told Ace was that I hated him. I bet that's how he feels about me, right now."

Marco and Thatch looked at each other, then back at Luffy.

"That's not true, Luffy," said Marco. "Before he blacked out, Ace has been saying your name, over and over."

Luffy's eyes widened.

"He was really worried, Luffy," Thatch said. "He was afraid that he'd die and leave you alone."

Luffy swallowed the lump in his throat.

So Ace still cared for him, after all, even after the harsh words he had said to him?

Zoro suddenly put a hand on his shoulder, making him turn to him. The green-haired teen had a reassuring smile on his face.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm right behind you, buddy."

"And so am I," Nami said, taking her boyfriend's hand into her own.

Blizzard brushed his face up against Luffy's leg, showing that he, too, was there to support him.

Luffy smiled a bit. He was truly blessed to have people like these around him.

XXX

Luffy slowly entered the room. Upon doing so, he saw the sleeping form of Ace, lying in a cot.

He looked like he had seen better days.

There was a cast around his left leg, as well as bandages wrapped around his forehead. His neck was in a brace. Upon his right eye was a patch. Luffy could also make out stitches on his left shoulder, and it looked they went back to the shoulder blade.

The teen sighed, feeling sick to his stomach, but he managed to ignore it and proceeded to approach Ace, with Zoro, Nami, Nojiko, and Blizzard following behind him.

Luffy took a seat beside his big brother, a sad, worried expression upon his face.

"Ace?" he called.

There was a pause.

Then, Ace's good eye fluttered open. He glanced over and saw Luffy, and smiled a weak smile.

"Hey, Lu," he said.

Luffy vision started to swim with tears.

Without warning, he threw his arms around Ace, who grunted a bit in pain.

"I'm sorry," Luffy muttered, tearfully.

"What?" Ace questioned.

"I'm sorry for what I said," Luffy told him. "I didn't mean to say…that I hated you…I never meant to say it. I was just mad, okay? I don't hate you…!"

Ace heaved a sigh as he returned the hug.

"You know something, Luffy?" he said. "If anyone should be sorry, it's me. You know I was just trying to look out for you…like I promised Mom. Remember?"

_Flashback, 3 years ago_

A 14-year-old Luffy and a 17-year-old Ace had rushed to the hospital from school after being called. When they had arrived, these were the first words that came out of Luffy's mouth…

"How's my Mom?"

The doctors told him…that she had only had a few minutes left.

The D brothers rushed to the room where their mother was resting.

She was lying in her bed, her eyes closed, a tube in her nose. Her skin was a yellowish hue, and there were traces of blood on her lips.

"Mom!" Luffy cried as he ran to her bedside and took her hand in his.

"My boys," said Star. "My precious boys…"

Ace grabbed his mother's other hand, clenching it as tight as he could.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he said.

"Oh, Ace," Star said as she gave her eldest son a weak smile. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. This is what I get for working myself to the bone, just to keep you boys in check…after all…your Father wouldn't do it."

Ace swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Mom," he said. "Listen. I promise you…I'll take good care of Luffy…no matter what happens. I'll never leave him. I promise."

Star smiled at Ace.

"I'll hold you to it, Ace," she said. Then she turned to Luffy, whose tears began to cascade down his face. "Luffy…from now on, you listen to your brother, so need to be good for him? Can you do that for your poor old Mom?"

"I…I think so," Luffy answered her, tearfully.

Star opened her mouth to speak, once more, but then, her eyes fluttered closed, and she heaved a final sigh.

Luffy and Ace felt her hands grow cold.

"M…Mom…?" Luffy called as the tears came at full force. "Mom? Mom, wake up! Open your eyes! Mom! Mom!"

Ace shivered as he gritted his teeth, his silent tears escaping through his closed eyes, as he listened to his little brother's desperate cries.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

_Flashback end_

Luffy's tears still came spilling out of his eyes. He always hated talking about that memory.

Ace heaved a sigh as he reached up and wiped his little brother's tears from his face.

"I'm sorry about that," said Ace.

"It's okay," said Luffy. "I'm pretty much over it, now."

Ace smiled.

"The doctor says he'll let me go home in a couple of days after I get over my concussion," he said. "Of course, I'm gonna have to get around with crutches and someone's gonna come by every now and then to check my stitches. Marco's gonna have to drive me to places."

"The car's totaled, isn't it?" Luffy asked.

"Not completely," Ace said. "Hopefully, Franky is fixing it up, right now."

Luffy smiled.

"And Luffy," Ace said. "If you wanna hang out with Zoro, then you can. I should've known better than to get in the way of your friendship."

Luffy looked back to Zoro, who smiled in approval.

"Thanks, Ace," Luffy said as he gently hugged his older brother, again.

"Yeah," Ace replied as he returned the hug.

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><p>Yay! You see? Everything works out!<p>

Review, please!


	12. Smoker and Whitey

**Ch. 12- Smoker and Whitey**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard and Whitey © Me

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><p>Ace was allowed to go home on Monday after he had recovered his concussion. As he had said, the only way he could get around was if he used crutches. Plus, a doctor had to make a house call every now and then to see if his stitches were healing well. He could have them removed by the end of the week.<p>

Of course, since the car was being fixed, Ace had to be driven around by either Marco or Thatch.

Luffy was just glad that his brother was all right and he had returned home. Staying with Zoro while he was recovering was fun while it lasted, but he missed being around Ace.

Meanwhile, at school, everyone now had the choice to go to an elective class. Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Vivi all decided to go to music class, together. Their teacher, a man named Brook, was quite a charming and colorful person, and they had a lot of fun with him. He could really connect with the students, almost as if he were. Luffy's favorite part of the class was when he taught everyone how to sing an old sea shanty called "Binks's Brew".

School became so much more fun, now.

XXX

Tuesday, March 23rd. 4:45 pm.

Luffy, Usopp, Nami, and Chopper were down at Going Merry Park. The boys were playing a game of 1-on-1 soccer while Nami and Chopper stood by and cheered for their respective "teams". They considered as practice for the upcoming match against the West Blue Sharks.

"Go, Luffy, go!" Nami cheered. "You can do it!"

Chopper barked and yipped, cheering for Usopp.

Luffy dribbled his soccer ball between his legs, and Usopp was determined to stop him. However, Luffy pulled his leg back and then kicked as hard as he could.

Unfortunately, he kicked it a bit too far, for it landed in the yard of a house nearby the park.

"Foul!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Whoops," Luffy said.

"Well, now what?" Nami asked. "That was our only ball."

Luffy said nothing. He simply began to make his way to the house where the ball landed.

"W-w-wait! Luffy!" Usopp called. "Where are you going?"

"Where does it look like?" Luffy questioned. "I'm gonna go get my ball back."

Nami and Usopp gasped.

"Luffy, are you nuts?" Nami asked her boyfriend.

"Yeah, don't you remember who lives in that house?" Usopp added.

"Yeah, I do," Luffy replied. "Smokey lives there."

"Not 'Smokey', Luffy," Usopp corrected. "Smok_er_!"

Luffy just stared.

Smoker was this shut-in who only lived in the house near the park and only came out to get cigars and White Stag, a popular alcoholic beverage among men his age. For some reason, he had this grudge against Luffy's family, mostly against the D. brothers, themselves.

"So what?" Luffy asked. "I'm not afraid of that guy."

"You may not be afraid of Smoker," started Nami, "but you ARE afraid of his dog, Whitey!"

Luffy froze. Whitey was Smoker's mean, vicious Rottweiler. He was given the name because of the big white patch of fur on the front of his neck, and he was the only animal that Luffy, as well as Nami and Usopp, ever feared, the reason being was because they had a bad run-in with him in the past.

Luffy was playing on the monkey bars with his friends with Ace and his mother sitting nearby. Out of nowhere, Whitey came running towards the children, jaws gnashing and saliva cascading from his maw in thick streams. Luffy managed to drive Whitey away from Nami and Usopp, but in the process, he gotten bitten in the arm. Star and Ace were able to chase the dog away and rushed Luffy to the hospital. They were very lucky that the Rottweiler didn't puncture a major artery, otherwise he would've bled to death.

While the physical scars had healed, the mental ones remained to this day. Ever since, Luffy would get stiff if someone even mentioned Whitey's name. His mother claimed that Smoker deliberately turned him loose on the kids, but she had no proof.

"S-so what?" Luffy asked them. "You guys are scared of him, too."

"Luffy, look," Usopp said. "Why don't we just go home and forget the damn soccer ball. We can get another one, can't we?"

A pause came.

"No," Luffy answered before he turned to head for the house.

"Luffy, come on!" Usopp cried. "Don't go crazy on us, now!"

"That dog will kill you!" Nami added.

It appeared their pleas fell on deaf ears, for Luffy continued on to the house.

They had no choice but to follow.

XXX

Luffy cleared the steel fence, while Nami, Usopp, and Chopper stayed behind, watching.

The raven-haired teen scanned his surroundings, searching for the soccer ball. All he saw was the brown, dead grass, the practically dilapidated old house that Smoker resided in, the doghouse that stood next to it, and the ball lying nearby. Smiling to himself, Luffy approached the ball and picked it up. When he turned to face, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, he saw that they all had…rather panicked expressions.

"L…Luffy!" Usopp stammered.

"Get outta there!" Nami added.

Luffy cocked his head in confusion, but then, he heard a beastly growl behind him. His eyes went wide, and he hesitantly looked back, but soon wished that he didn't.

Whitey, Smoker's Rottweiler, was standing right behind him, his fangs bare and saliva trickling from his jowls.

Luffy gasped as he turned around, fully, and then began to back away as the vicious dog began to advance, clutching the soccer ball in his hands. He knew from experience that Whitey only attacked from behind. When his prey was staring at him in the face, he would wait until they turned to run, and then he would strike.

Luffy suddenly tripped and fell on his bottom, scooting away from Whitey as he drew closer until his back was squeezing up against the fence. Nami and Usopp could only cover their eyes, fearing the worst, while Chopper hid himself inside his master's pocket, whimpering.

Just when it seemed that Whitey was about to attack…

"Stay!"

A gruff voice called out to the dog, forcing him to stop.

Luffy looked up and saw a man stepping down from the porch.

It was Smoker, Whitey's owner, and needless to say, he didn't look very happy to see Luffy or Nami or Usopp on or even near his property.

"What do you think you're doing on my lawn, Straw Hat?" Smoker questioned as he began to approach Luffy.

The teen stood up, dusting himself off.

"I only came to get my soccer ball back," Luffy answered Smoker.

"That's right!" Usopp added. "He kicked it too hard!"

"And now that we have our ball back," Nami began, "we'll just be leaving. Right, Luffy?"

"Yeah," replied Luffy as he prepared to hop the fence, but he was soon stopped when Smoker put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hang on a minute, Straw Hat," said Smoker. "Come with me. I wanna show you something."

Luffy swallowed the lump in his throat before he turned to Nami and Usopp.

"Just go with him, Luffy," Nami told him. "We'll wait for you."

Luffy nodded before he followed Smoker to his garage.

There, he saw the man's gray Dodge 2005 pick-up truck. One the left side of the car, just three inches above the back wheel, was a big dent, followed by a huge scratch along the car.

"Look at this Straw Hat," Smoker starts, "and tell me what you see."

"A…big dent and a scratch?" Luffy answered, questioningly.

"That's right," Smoker said. "You and your friends wouldn't have something to do with this, would you?"

"N-no, sir," Luffy said.

"You sure?" Smoker questioned.

"Yes, sir," Luffy answered.

"Good," Smoker said. "Now you and your friends get the hell outta here. If I ever see any of you on my property again, I'll shoot you."

Luffy gulped before he turned and left the garage, hopped over the fence, and ran off with Nami, Usopp, and a still scared Chopper following behind him.

Smoker only watched with a glazed look in his eye.

XXX

5:45 pm.

Luffy arrived home after saying goodbye to Usopp and Nami for the day. Ace could tell that something was bugging his little brother, so he and Blizzard sat down with him on the couch and got him to tell him what was wrong.

Needless to say, he wasn't really happy about what he had found out.

"Luffy, you're not even supposed to go anywhere near Smoker's yard," Ace told him. "You know that!"

"I had to get my ball back, Ace!" Luffy argued, softly. "Besides, Whitey didn't try to attack me, this time, so I'm okay."

"Yeah, but maybe next time, you won't be," Ace said. "Remember, I want you to stay as far away from Smoker's house as you can possibly get. Understand me?"

"Yeah," Luffy answered.

Ace smiled and ruffled his little brother's hair.

"Good," he said. "Now, how about you tell me how your day at school was and I'll order you some pizza?"

"Yeah!" Luffy answered.

Blizzard licked his lips, hungrily, looking forward to eating the delicious pizza.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	13. Warnings

**Ch. 13- Warnings**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard and Whitey © Me

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><p>Wednesday, March 24th. 1:24 pm.<p>

Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Vivi were walking down the hall, headed for music class. Today, Brook was going to teach them how to play samba. All the while, Luffy had told them about a bit of a near accident that happened with him and Smoker on the way to school.

"He tried to run you and Blizzard over?" Vivi repeated, shocked.

"Yeah," Luffy said. "While Blizzard and I were walking to school, I heard the sound of an engine revving up behind me. When I look back, I see Smokey in his truck, trying to run me and Blizzard over. We were lucky that we managed to get out of his way."

"Yikes," Usopp said.

"I know he always threatens that he's gonna kill me," Luffy started, "but I think that's just the alcohol talking for him."

"I really wouldn't put it passed him," said Zoro. "Whether he's a drunk bastard or not, he could still be able to kill. I'd watch my back, Luffy."

"Yeah, yeah," Luffy said, nonchalantly.

XXX

3:30 pm.

Luffy and Nami were outside in the backyard of Luffy's house with Blizzard. Luffy was asked by Ace to clean up the yard of the cherry blossom petals that had fallen on the grass and Nami, who came by with Nojiko, offered her assistance, which Luffy gratefully accepted.

However, the moment Blizzard entered the backyard, there was less cleaning and more playing. Before the two teens knew it, Blizzard was playing Keep-Away with the rake!

Ace and Nojiko couldn't help but laugh at their antics.

As Luffy and Nami frolicked with Blizzard in the backyard, they were completely unaware that trouble was brewing.

Somewhere close by, Whitey had broken free of his chain and had gotten loose, again while Smoker was out getting more White Stag. He had just gotten through mauling Miss Valentine's pet cat to death…and now, he was heading for Luffy's house.

XXX

Nojiko was pouring Ace a glass of lemonade.

Ace was still using his crutches to get around the house, but the good news was that he should be able walk on his own again in about three more days, and that he could have his stitches removed tomorrow.

Suddenly, Ace's ears picked up the sound of barking. At first, he just thought that it was Blizzard, but then he realized that the bark was a bit too deep and low to be Blizzard's. Therefore, it had to be a different dog.

"Nojiko," Ace said. "Do you hear a dog outside?"

"Yeah, I do," Nojiko answered.

At that moment, the two remembered something.

Luffy and Nami are outside.

Before they knew it, Ace and Nojiko heard a shrill scream outside, and it sounded like it was coming from Nami. Wasting no time, they rushed to the back door.

XXX

Outside, Nami was in a bit of a fix.

She was struggling to get her foot free from Whitey, who had it locked in his powerful jaws. The Rottweiler had busted through the gate, taking both Luffy and Nami by surprise, and instantly set his sights on the latter.

Luffy was currently trying to get the vicious dog to let go of his girlfriend by continuously striking him in the head with a broom. So far, it didn't appear to be working.

"Let go of her, you damn dog!" Luffy cried as he continued to strike Whitey.

After about maybe 26 tries, Whitey finally let go of Nami, who limped over to the cherry tree in the yard. However, now the Rottweiler had turned on Luffy, who started to back away slowly.

"Luffy!"

Luffy turned when he saw Ace opening the door.

Big mistake.

The moment Luffy was distracted, Whitey lunged at him, mouth agape, but before he could even get a bite in…

**WHAM!** A white blur slammed into the huge Rottweiler, tackling him to the ground.

When Luffy turned around, he saw that Blizzard and Whitey were now locked in an all-out dog fight.

Nojiko ran to get Nami and help her inside the house while Luffy just stood there.

"Luffy!" Ace called. "C'mon! Get inside!"

Luffy was hesitant, but then he quickly ran inside.

**YIPE!** A pained yelp was heard, but it didn't come from Blizzard.

Whitey ran out of the backyard with his tail tucked between his hind legs, yowling in pain and defeat.

Apparently, Blizzard bit him where the sun don't shine.

XXX

4:00 pm.

Nojiko had gotten Nami's bite all wrapped up. There was quite a bit of bleeding, but it wasn't bad enough that they'd have to take her to the hospital.

However, one thing worried everyone.

Whitey didn't have rabies before, judging by the time when he attacked Luffy, but that didn't mean he could've possibly contracted rabies now.

If he did, it could be possible that he may've transferred the disease to Nami.

"All we can do is pray," Ace said.

Luffy pulled Nami into a comforting embrace, but there was no doubt in his mind that he was scared for her, just as Ace and Nojiko were.

**KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!** Blizzard's ears twitched when he heard the loud knocking at the door.

"I'm coming!" Ace called as the knocking continued. He limped on his crutches before he made it to the door. Looking out through the peephole, he saw, to his inner anger, that it was Smoker.

He didn't look happy.

With a sigh, Ace opened the door, and Luffy, Nami, and Nojiko soon joined him, standing behind him.

"Ace D. Portgas," said Smoker. "I accuse your little brother of turning my dog loose."

"That's a lie!" Luffy said, but was quickly silenced by Ace.

"Luffy, I'll handle this," he said. "Smoker, my brother was nowhere near your property. He was here the whole time. What proof do you have?"

"Proof?" Smoker repeated. "Miss Valentine called me, and she told me she saw my dog coming out of your backyard!"

"Oh, he was here, all right," said Nojiko, her voice having a bit of angered tone. "And he bit my sister. Nami, show him."

Nami stuck out her bandaged foot.

"He almost went after Luffy next," said Ace. "If our dog didn't stop yours, there's no telling what could've happened!"

Smoker seethed.

"Now that's a damn, put-up lie if I ever heard one," Smoker said. "I got a call from Animal Control, saying that they have my dog, and they're gonna have to lock him up for two weeks!"

"Smoker, don't put this on us," Ace said. "Any dog that attacks someone like yours just did has to be tested for rabies!"

Smoker's fists clenched and he gritted his teeth so hard, it looked like he was about to bite his cigar in two. He then set his gaze on Luffy, who instantly sensed some hostility, and shrank behind Ace's shoulder.

"Smoker, don't go getting any ideas," Ace said. "I may be on crutches, right now, but that doesn't mean I can't kick your ass! You so much as even touch Luffy, and you'll have hell to pay! Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave."

Smoker glared at Ace, then at Luffy, before he turned and walked away, but as he did, he turned back to face the group.

"You haven't seen or heard the last of me," he hissed, venomously. "This is my last warning. If I ever see Straw Hat again, I really will shoot him…and I'll make sure that I won't miss."

Luffy's eyes went wide, and he shrunk behind Ace even further.

This time, he knew for sure that Smoker was definitely not bluffing.

He was certainly going to kill Luffy if they ever encountered each other, again.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	14. The Right Thing to Do

**Ch. 14- The Right Thing to Do**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard, Whitey, and Whitey II © Me

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><p>4 days went by.<p>

The test results for Whitey came sooner than expected.

He didn't have rabies, after all, which was good news for Nami. Unfortunately, because Whitey had viciously attacked someone, there was no other choice but to put him to sleep, something that should've been done the first time.

Ace had fully recovered from his injuries. He had his stitches and his cast removed, so he was now able to walk wherever he wanted. The car had been fully repaired, as well. As long as Ace remembered to take his pep pills whenever he drove around, he'd be all right.

At school, the upcoming soccer match against the West Blue Sharks was only five days away, and practice had become a bit harder than ever.

Principal Shanks had become fond of Blizzard ever since he started following Luffy to school. So much so that he decided to make the dog the new school mascot: the East Blue White Wolves, due to the resemblance Blizzard had, much to Luffy's pride.

However, in spite of this, Luffy seemed weary, nowadays. Ever since Smoker had made that death threat towards him, he was constantly on the alert whenever he was going home from wherever he was, for his route home always went through Going Merry Park, and not one moment went by when Luffy found himself ducking for cover when he heard the sound of Smoker's gun being fired.

The only places where he felt safe were at school, at a friend's house, or at home with Ace and Blizzard.

At night, Luffy woke up from nightmares, saying that Smoker had shot him in the head and that he couldn't find help anywhere. Afterwards, he would begin to weep, and Blizzard seemed to be the only thing that could comfort him.

Ace hadn't felt this concerned for Luffy ever since their Father left them and their Mother died.

XXX

Saturday, March 28th. 5:05 pm.

Luffy was on his way home from Sanji's house with Blizzard, on a leash, following beside him. Ace recommended that Luffy take Blizzard with him at all times, whether or not he was with friends. It did make the 17-year-old feel a bit safer, but he didn't let his guard down.

As Luffy was walking over a bridge, he suddenly stopped, forcing to Blizzard to stop, as well.

The park was just up ahead, and this was the only way for Luffy to get home.

Some people have been saying that Smoker has been drinking heavier than ever since he heard that Whitey had been put down.

Luffy really needed to watch his back when he walked through here.

He looked down to Blizzard, who looked back up at him. It appeared that the white dog was giving him reassurance that he'd keep him safe, no matter what.

With a smile, Luffy petted his dog and continued on his way.

The teen and dog entered the park through the gate. Luffy saw that there were less people around, as expected since it was getting late. That seemed to make Luffy feel a bit more insecure, but he still felt safe with Blizzard at his side.

He walked on, trying to assure himself that Smoker wouldn't be home.

As they passed Smoker's house, Luffy's uneasiness still grew to the point where it was making his stomach turn. At that moment, he started to gag, but he swallowed the upcoming bile and kept walking.

Suddenly, Blizzard started to quicken his pace, pulling Luffy along and forcing him to walk faster.

"Hey!" Luffy said. "What's going on, buddy? What's the hurry?"

Blizzard just kept trotting forward, pulling his master with him. Before long, he and Luffy made it to the other side of the park.

Luffy was just confused. Did Blizzard sense the teen's insecurity and decided to walk faster so he wouldn't be scared?

Whatever it was, Luffy was glad that for once, he didn't hear gunfire.

As he opened the gate and continued on his way, Luffy couldn't shake this odd tingling feeling in the back of his head that something was wrong.

Just then, as Luffy and Blizzard approached another bridge, he heard a loud **BANG!**

At first, he thought it was a gunshot, but then he realized that it sound more like backfire than gunfire. As he approached the bridge, he saw that there were tire tracks coming up the road until they veered off to the side, and that there was smoke coming from somewhere. Luffy looked down, gasping in horror.

A familiar gray-color Dodge 2005 pick-up truck had fallen over the side off the bridge, overturned and smoking. One of the tires had fallen off, and the windshield and one of the back windows had been smashed, sending glass shards almost everywhere on the ground.

However, the thing that got Luffy's attention most was the guttural groan that was heard.

Luffy climbed down to the truck, leaving Blizzard behind. As he looked through one of the smashed windows, his fears had been confirmed.

Smoker was lying upside-down in a crumpled heap. His arm was twisted in an odd direction, and there was blood trickling down his forehead.

Judging by the bottles White Stag that were inside the battered car, Luffy concluded that the man must've been drinking while he was driving home.

"Oh, no…!" Luffy gasped. "Hey, Smokey! You alive in there?"

There was a pause, but it was soon broken when Luffy heard another groan coming from Smoker.

He is indeed alive, but Luffy didn't know how long he was going to last.

What should he do? Should the boy just go keep going on home, acting as if he never saw this, thus leaving the very man who threatened to kill him to die? Or should he go and get help?

Another pause came.

Just then, Luffy stood up, headed back up the bridge, pulled out his cell phone…dialed a three-digit number.

"**9-1-1. What's your emergency?"**

XXX

Smoker had been placed on a stretcher and was being driven to the hospital via the ambulance.

Luffy, Blizzard, and Ace watched from behind.

"Ace?" Luffy called, questioningly.

"Yeah?" Ace answered.

"Do you think that I did the right thing? How do I know that Smokey's not gonna try and kill me, again, once he gets out of the hospital?"

Ace just smiled, put a hand on Luffy's shoulder, and said, "Luffy…only time will tell."

XXX

Smoker had broken his left shoulder and got a whiplash, as well as a major concussion. He had a huge gash along his back which had to be closed with over 70 stitches. The only way he could get around was with a wheelchair.

It turns out that the rumor about Smoker drinking heavier than before because of the loss of Whitey was true. The reason being was because…aside from his niece, Tashigi, whom Zoro was dating, Whitey was the only companion that Smoker had. In spite of the dog's temperament towards other people, he gave Smoker the affection he never got as a child due to his abusive Father. When Whitey was put down, Smoker just felt like there was no point in living.

Luffy went down to the animal shelter once Smoker got out of the hospital, and then went down to Smoker's house, claiming he had a present for him.

The teen had gotten Smoker a 7-week-old Rottweiler puppy…with a big white spot on the front of its neck.

Smoker named the puppy, "Whitey II".

For once, Smoker didn't display any anger or hatred towards Luffy. In fact, he actually smiled at him!

Luffy knew that Smoker was going to be a better man from now on. He drank and smoke less, and he would even be seen playing with Whitey II outside in his yard. There were even times when he invited Luffy and Ace into his house for coffee.

By doing the right thing, Luffy had once again made a friend out of a former enemy.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	15. The Big Game

**Ch. 15- The Big Game**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Monday, April 1st. 3:30 pm.<p>

At last. The big day had come. The big soccer match between the East Blue White Wolves and the West Blue Sharks.

Ace, as well, as Marco and Thatch, took a day off from work to support Luffy, the team captain. Sanji was also there to give his support.

The cheerleaders, led by Nami, stood at the side of the field.

Beside them, Blizzard, the school mascot.

The game had been going on for about two hours, now. First one team managed to score a goal, and then the other, and went back and forth and back and forth and so on. Right now, the score was tied 52-52. Both teams were sweating like crazy because of the blazing hot sun.

Luffy was nervous. The West Blue Sharks had been putting up quite a challenge. Plus, Zoro had deliberately shoved one of the opponents out of frustration, earning the East Blue White Wolves two penalties, so right now, he was sitting out of the game. He was one of the strongest players the team had. Now Luffy was the East Blue White Wolves' only hope for victory.

The kick-off began. Luffy dribbled the ball and passed it to Usopp, who kicked it to Shuraiya, only for the ball to get stolen by a member of the opposing team. Luffy attempted to steal the ball back, but one of the West Blue Sharks tripped him up, deliberately.

This earned the Sharks a yellow card. It also earned the White Wolves a direct free kick.

Since Luffy was the one who got tripped up, he was allowed to make the kick.

To get his confidence up, the cheerleaders decided to make their cheer.

"**Let's go, White Wolves!**

**Fight! Fight! Fight!**

**Front step, back step!**

**Bite! Bite! Bite!"**

Blizzard let out a long howl, just give the cheer a bit more "oomph".

A hush fell over the field. A breeze blew by.

Ace crossed his fingers and chewed his lip.

The outcome of this match now depended all on his little brother. If Luffy doesn't score this goal, then the match would go to the West Blue Sharks.

Luffy took in a deep inhale, and then an exhale. Then, he pulled back, and then forcefully kicked the ball.

It sailed across the field, toward the goal…and went straight in.

"GOAL~!" Luffy cheered throwing his fists in the air.

"YES!" Usopp and Zoro shouted.

"YYYYEEEEAAAAAHH!" Ace cried, standing in the bleachers.

The final score:

East Blue White Wolves: 53.

West Blue Sharks: 52.

Luffy had won the game.

The team went to congratulate their captain for scoring the winning goal. As a bonus, Nami gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, right in front of everyone.

The whole team, as well as the cheerleaders and Blizzard had a group photo to commemorate the victory. Also, the trophy was engraved to Luffy, who took it home and put it on a shelf for all to see.

Luffy's popularity, as well as his pride, had increased tenfold that day.

* * *

><p>Sorry that it's pretty short, everyone. I'm not really that good with sports, soccer included.<p>

Review, please!


	16. Obsession

**Ch. 16- Obsession**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>East Blue High had a new teacher hired: a woman by the name of Hancock Boa. She was hired to be the new biology teacher.<p>

She was strict and a bit pompous. She also acted arrogant and cruel, mostly to the male students and staff, who only end up falling in love with her mainly because of her beauty. Even the some of the girl students seemed to become affected by her. Whenever she did something wrong, she would put on a cute face and seem apologetic.

To put it simply, Hancock used her charms to get away with anything she wanted.

However, lately, as Luffy had been going to her class, she soon found herself becoming fond of him…

Perhaps a bit too fond.

XXX

Wednesday, April 3rd. 10:30 am.

_**BRRRIIIIIIINNG!**_

The bell rang, signaling the end of biology class.

As the students prepared to leave, Hancock stood up from her desk and watched as Luffy walked out the door, staring at his back, or rather, at his behind.

Nami noticed this, and narrowed her eyes in a disapproving manner.

_What in the hell does she think she's looking at?_ she questioned in thought. _Nobody stares at Luffy's ass but me!_

XXX

Luffy walked down the hallway with Zoro, Usopp, Nami, and Vivi.

"Luffy, did you happen to notice the way Miss Boa was staring at you?" Nami asked her beau.

"Uh…" Luffy muttered. "No."

"How was she looking at him?" Zoro asked.

"She was staring at his butt as he was leaving the classroom," Nami said. "I saw it!"

"Are you sure you're not just jealous?" questioned Usopp, teasingly.

Nami's response was a fist to the long-nosed teen's skull.

Luffy just chuckled and said, "Nami, forgive me, but I think Usopp's right."

Nami gave Luffy a disbelieving expression.

"Excuse me?" she questioned.

"Well, I think it's pretty cute and all," Luffy began, "but there's no need to be jealous of Miss Boa over me."

"Luffy, I'm not jealous!" Nami retorted. "I'm worried! There's a name for people like her, you know! They're called 'weirdoes'!"

"She's right, Luffy," Vivi said. "People like those are unpredictable and are willing to…you know…calm their urges with just about anyone, even someone your age. You really ought to be careful!"

Luffy just shrugged, nonchalantly.

However, he didn't realize that he was going to make a very big mistake.

XXX

Thursday, April 4th. 4:00 pm.

Luffy had been asked by Hancock to do some chores around her house. She told him that he would paid handsomely.

Right now, Luffy was busy cleaning Hancock's pool of leaves, cherry blossom petals, and other debris with a net. Hancock was sitting nearby with a pitcher of lemonade.

"Oh, Luffy," Hancock called.

"Yeah?"

"It's a pretty hot day, isn't it?" Hancock asked. "A bit too hot for that sweat-jacket, don't you think?"

Upon hearing that, Luffy suddenly realized how it was, today. Usually, wearing his hoodie didn't bother him like this, but on this day, he'd make an exception.

"You might want to take that jacket off," said Hancock.

"Yeah," Luffy said in agreement, He set down the net and proceeded to unzip his jacket. Then he began to pull it off himself and tied the sleeves around his waist.

Hancock's cheeks flushed a bright pink at the sight of Luffy's bare upper half. She didn't realize that such a scrawny teen such as himself would have such a well-built physique, such as a toned chest and abs.

"Luffy," Hancock said. "Are you thirsty?"

"Come to think of it, yeah," Luffy answered.

"Here," Hancock said as she handed a glass of lemonade. "Have a drink."

"Thanks," said Luffy. He took the glass and began to guzzle down the lemonade. A few drops escaped his lips and trickled down his neck.

Hancock felt her heart beating tenfold at the sight.

When Luffy finished, he made a refreshed sigh.

"I needed that," he said before he handed the glass back to Hancock. "Thanks, again."

Hancock smiled at Luffy.

"Of course," she said. "Anything for you, Luffy."

Luffy smiled back at her before he continued to clean out the pool.

XXX

Friday, April 5th. 8:35 am.

Luffy, Zoro, Vivi, and Usopp were heading to Hancock's biology class. Nami had yet to catch up with them, for she was busy getting her books out of her locker.

"So where'd you go, yesterday, Luffy?" Usopp asked.

"What do you mean?" Luffy asked.

"We didn't see you after school," said Zoro. "Where'd you go?"

"Oh!" Luffy said. "I went Miss Boa's house."

"Yeah?" Vivi asked. "Doing what?"

"She paid me to clean her pool for her," Luffy replied. "She's kind of weird, though."

"Weird, how?" Usopp asked.

"Well, I didn't realize how hot it was, yesterday, until she said something," Luffy said. "So, she told me to take my jacket off."

"She told you to do what?"

Everyone turned around and saw Nami, who had finally caught up with them. She approached Luffy, who backed away from her a few steps.

"Luffy, I warned you about her!" she exclaimed.

"Nami, calm down," Luffy said. "She just told me to take my jacket off because it was hot outside, yesterday. Don't make a scene."

"Make a scene?" Nami repeated, questioningly.

At this point, Zoro, Usopp, and Vivi began to wisely back away, and other students who happened to be passing by were watching.

"Luffy, don't you see what's happening, here?" Nami asks. "Miss Boa's obsessing over you! One minute, she could be acting all nice and chummy, but then the next minute, she could catch you off guard!"

"Catch me off guard?" Luffy repeated, questioningly. "Why would I need to be on my guard with Miss Boa?"

"Because she's a weirdo!" Nami replied. "Luffy, I'm only trying to look after you! I don't wanna end up losing you to that…that cow!"

Everyone around them gasped.

"Hey, take it easy with the names, will you?" Luffy asked.

"So, what you're standing up for her?" Nami questioned, angrily.

"Maybe I am," Luffy said. "And maybe Usopp was right. Maybe you ARE jealous!"

"Jealous?" Nami repeated. "Me?"

"Oh, boy, here we go," Usopp chimed in.

"Why would I be jealous of some damn, pompous, stuck-up bitch?" Nami questioned.

"Because, you think she's trying to steal me away from you!" Luffy exclaimed. "You know, you're starting to act just like Sanji!"

"WHAT?" Nami shouted.

"Oh, no, he didn't," Zoro said.

"You know something, Luffy?" Nami asked. "You have got to be the most simpleminded idiot I've ever known!"

"Well, maybe I am an idiot!" Luffy said. "I'm an idiot for not realizing how jealous YOU get!"

Nami stared at her beau in disbelief before she glared, viciously, which was returned.

"You know what, Luffy?" Nami questioned. "Maybe I shouldn't be speaking to you, right now."

"Well, maybe I shouldn't be speaking to you," Luffy spat.

"That's good!" Nami said.

"Yeah, great!" Luffy hissed.

"Fine!" the two barked at each other.

With that, they turned away from each other and walked in opposite directions.

Zoro, Usopp, and Vivi, being the concerned friends that they are, went and followed after the two, Vivi going with Nami and Zoro and Usopp going with Luffy.

Nami sniffled as tears began to form in her eyes.

She couldn't believe that she and Luffy had just had their first fight in their relationship.

Vivi warmly put a hand on the orange-haired girl's shoulder with a tender smile on her face.

"It'll be okay," she said.

Nami leaned on Vivi's shoulder.

Zoro and Usopp, meanwhile, were busy comforting Luffy, who was just as upset as Nami.

"It's gonna be okay, man," said Zoro.

"Yeah, we're here for you," Usopp added.

"Thanks, guys," Luffy said.

XXX

10:30 am.

_**BRRIIIIIIIIIIING!**_

Biology class had ended. Everyone was preparing to go to their next class.

Hancock watched as Luffy prepared to leave the classroom. She had noticed that he seemed rather melancholy, so she decided to go and see what was wrong.

"Excuse me, Luffy," said Hancock.

"Oh, hi, Miss Boa," Luffy said, mirthlessly.

"I couldn't help but notice you seem rather upset about something."

"Well…my girlfriend and I just got into a fight."

Hancock gasped silently.

"Oh, that's terrible," she said.

"Yeah," Luffy said. "This is the first fight we've ever had since we've been going out, and…I'm scared that she's gonna wanna break up with me."

"I see," Hancock said. "Come here. Let me give you a hug."

Luffy seemed hesitant, but then he went into Hancock's arms and let her wrap them around his body. He really needed comfort, right now, and he didn't really care who it was from.

However, out of nowhere, Luffy felt Hancock slipping her left thumb into the corner of his mouth.

"Uh…" Luffy muttered. "Miss Boa? What are you doing?"

"Oops!" Hancock said, pulling her thumb out. "I'm sorry. Slip of the hand."

Luffy started, awkwardly at Hancock before he left the classroom, suddenly getting an odd sense of danger from the woman.

Hancock, meanwhile, slowly stuck her left thumb into her mouth and started to suck on it.

XXX

Over the weekend, Hancock started to visit Luffy. The moment she entered the house, Blizzard immediately showed distrust, and Ace felt the same, but Luffy insisted on saying that they had nothing to worry about.

Ace didn't like how clingy Hancock was being towards Luffy, but Luffy just passed it off as her acting motherly, something he rather missed.

However, Luffy began to see that maybe Hancock wasn't such a nice to be around, after all. For one thing, he didn't appreciate how she treated Ace, Blizzard, or his friends. There was that one instance when Vivi came to talk to Luffy, but Hancock immediately outright insulted the poor girl. There was also that one time when she got tipsy and somewhat offended Zoro, who told Luffy that maybe he shouldn't hang out with him for a while. There was also another time when she stepped on Blizzard's tail, and she didn't apologize for it.

Luffy and Nami still refused to see or speak to each other, even after the others attempted get them to make up, to no avail. In fact, it even seemed like they were going to break up!

For Hancock, this seemed to work out all the better…for her.

But then, on Sunday afternoon, Luffy would find out that Nami was right about Hancock, all along.

Ace had left the house to get groceries, and Hancock happened to be visiting. She said that she came to comfort Luffy, which he accepted.

However, when Luffy stood up to get a hug from Hancock, he felt one of her hands move down…and then grope his right butt cheek. He immediately got uncomfortable and pulled away from her. When he attempted to call the police, Hancock grabbed him, pinned him to the couch, and attempted to kiss him, as well as strip him of his clothes.

If Blizzard had not been there and chased her out of the house, there was no telling what else Hancock could've done to him.

When Ace returned home, Luffy told him what happened, and he immediately felt outraged that someone would have the gall to try and violate his little brother like that!

After calling the police, it turns out that Hancock was once a sexual predator who mostly targeted boys around Luffy's age. Principal Shanks knew this, all along, but he hired Hancock at the school in attempt to give her a second chance.

Well, she blew it.

Luffy was allowed to issue a restraining order against Hancock, tomorrow. She wasn't supposed to come within a 60 ft. radius of him.

Luffy began to hang out with his friends, again, but there was one person's trust that he had to earn back.

XXX

Sunday, April 7th. 8:34 pm.

Luffy went down to Nami and Nojiko's house and hesitantly knocked on the door. The door opened, revealing Nojiko behind it.

"Hey, Luffy," she greeted. "What's up?"

"Can I talk to Nami?" asked Luffy.

Nojiko sighed.

"Luffy, I don't think she's ready to start talk or see you, yet," she said.

"Please?" Luffy asked. "Just…just, please, Nojiko."

Heaving another sigh, Nojiko stood aside and said, "She's upstairs."

"Thanks," Luffy said as he entered the house and prepared to walk up the stairs. As he did, he was being followed by Nami's new kitten, Tangerine. When she caught up with the raven-haired teen, she mewed at pawed at his pants leg.

Luffy smiled and gently picked the baby cat up before he proceeded up the stairs.

When he got to the top, he approached the door to Nami's room. He heaved a sigh to calm his nerves, and then wrapped at the door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me," Luffy answered.

The door opened, revealing Nami behind it. Needless to say, she didn't seem very pleased to see Luffy. She gently took Tangerine from his arms and asked, in a blunt tone, "What the hell do you want?"

"Nami," he began, "I came to say that I'm sorry. You were right about Hancock after all."

Nami's eyes widened.

"She groped my ass," Luffy said. "I'm issuing a restraining order against her, tomorrow."

"You see, now?" Nami questioned.

"Yes, I do," Luffy said. "Nami, I'm really sorry I didn't listen to you when I should have. I let my guard down for one second, and look what happened!"

"Well, I'm glad you apologized," Nami started, "but you don't expect me to forgive you, so easily, do you?"

"No, I don't," Luffy answered, "and I understand that."

"Then maybe you'll understand that you should leave, too," Nami told him. "Luffy, I'm sorry…but I don't think I'm ready to talk or see you, yet."

Luffy hung his head in defeat before he turned and headed down the stairs. He stopped in front of the door, then looked back upstairs, and then back at the door again. He sighed, and prepared to put his hand on the knob, when suddenly…

"Luffy! Wait!"

Luffy looked back up to the stairs and saw Nami rushing down them until she threw herself in his arms and gave him a passionate kiss, which he returned.

"I can't stay mad at you, you big dummy," she said.

"I knew you couldn't," Luffy said, smiling as he continued to kiss her.

Nojiko watched from her place in the kitchen with a smile on her face.

"To be honest, Luffy," Nami began, "Usopp was right. I was jealous of Hancock."

"What's to be jealous of?" Luffy asked.

"Well," Nami began, "truth be told, she was kind of a sight to look at. I was afraid she'd steal you from her."

"You know I'd never let anyone do that," Luffy said. "I'm yours, remember?"

"And I'm yours," Nami said.

With that, the two continued their kiss, their tongues wrestling each other for dominance. As they did, Nami felt Luffy beginning to lift up her shirt, slightly.

"Mm…Luffy, wait," Nami said as she pulled away.

"What?" Luffy asked.

"Luffy, I don't think I'm ready for…that, just yet."

"Oh. Okay. I'll wait then."

Luffy and Nami kept kissing, their love for each other beginning to blossom anew.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	17. Under the Knife

**Ch. 17- Under the Knife**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Wednesday, April 10th. 7:12 am.<p>

Luffy woke up this morning feeling very strange. There was a slight pain in his right side, mostly in his stomach. He also didn't have much of an appetite, much to Ace's concern.

Luffy just told Ace that he'd be fine and that he shouldn't worry about it.

When he tried to leave, Blizzard kept barking at him, for some odd reason, and made these strange motions like running around in a circle and jumping up and down. At first, Luffy just figured he wanted to play, but his dog's behavior became even more strange when he pressed his muzzle against the right side of Luffy's stomach; the part that he said had hurt.

Luffy continued to shrug it off as nothing and headed off for school.

XXX

12:33 pm.

Ace was driving through town like a maniac. He honked his horn to warn people that he was coming and yelled curses at those who almost ran into him.

The reason why he was in such a rush was that he got a text from Nami saying that Luffy had collapsed at school and was now in the hospital.

He knew there was something wrong, and he should've brought Luffy to the hospital the first thing he noticed it, but he just went and listened to what his brother had said and didn't worry about it.

Boy, was he wrong.

After he arrived at the hospital and found a parking spot, Ace rushed into the building as quick as he got here. No sooner does he get inside that he finds Usopp, waiting for him.

"Hey, Usopp," Ace greeted him.

"Hey," Usopp greeted.

"So, what's up with Luffy?" Ace asked. "He okay?"

"He's got appendicitis," Usopp answered the elder D brother. "His appendix got inflamed, and…if it's not taken out of him in the next hour or so, it'll burst."

Ace froze.

Taken out. That meant surgery.

Luffy has been deathly afraid of going under the knife ever since he was little, even though he never had one before. If he finds out he has to undergo an operation, then he'd definitely flip out and that would make his condition worse than before.

"Where is he?" Ace asked Usopp.

Usopp took Ace to the room where Luffy was staying. Upon entering, Ace saw his little brother, dressed in a regular hospital gown, laying in a bed, surrounded by Zoro, Vivi, Nami, Sanji, and Blizzard.

Luffy looked miserable. He let out small moans of pain and he'd twist his legs and chew his lip in an attempt to try and fight it, only to fail.

Ace sighed as he sat next to Luffy and gently combed his fingers through the younger's messy black hair.

"Hey, there, little bro," Ace said.

"Hey," Luffy said back.

"You look like hell."

"I feel like hell, too. My stomach is killing me, Ace."

"Luffy, listen…this isn't really easy to say, but…you're gonna have to through surgery."

Luffy's tired visage soon took on a mixture of surprised and somewhat frightened.

"S…surgery?" he repeated, receiving a nod from his older brother. "B…but…Ace, I…I don't wanna!"

"Luffy, you have to!" Nami told her beau.

"You're gonna be knocked out the whole time!" Usopp said. "You won't feel a thing!"

"That's the problem!" Luffy argued. "Do you know what the chances are of me dying while I'm cut open?"

"Luffy, you're gonna die, anyway, if you don't get that appendix removed!" Zoro argued.

Blizzard licked his master's hand in an attempt to calm him down, but it didn't seem to be helping.

Before anyone realized it, Luffy had tears in his eyes, despite his hardest to try and keep them back. He just couldn't help it. The very thought of having his stomach being cut open just frightened him, and he was usually so calm under pressure.

"I…I don't wanna get cut open!" he sobbed. "I…I'M SCARED!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU DAMN CRYBABY~!"

Everyone suddenly fell silent.

Luffy turned to Ace with a look of shock and disbelief.

He hadn't heard his big brother call him that since they were little.

"Now, listen, Luffy," Ace said. "I know surgery sounds scary. Remember when I had to get my tonsils removed? I know I didn't look like it, back then, but I was scared, too, but I sucked it up and took it like a man!"

Luffy just stared at Ace.

"Now, listen to me, Luffy. Either you do the same thing that I did, or I'm gonna drag you into the operating room, kicking and screaming! Which is it gonna be?"

There was a pause. Everyone looked at Luffy, waiting for his answer.

Then, Luffy heaved a sigh, wiping his tears away.

"I'll suck it up," he started, "and take it like a man."

Ace smiled and ruffled Luffy's hair.

"That's what I wanna hear," he said.

Sanji looked over to the door and saw a female doctor entering.

"Looks like the doctor's here to take you, Luffy," said the blonde.

Luffy nervously swallowed the lump in his throat. Ace, being the caring older brother that he is, took the teen's hand in his.

"Ace," Luffy said. "You'll be right here when I get out, right?"

"Of course, I will," Ace answered.

"And so will I," Nami added, grabbing her beau's other hand.

"Me, too," Zoro chimed.

"Here, here!" Usopp exclaimed.

"I'll be here, too," said Vivi.

"Ditto," added Sanji.

**WOOF!** Blizzard barked, as if to say, "Me, too!"

Luffy smiled. Somehow or other, he had to find someway to repay these good people.

"Let's go, Luffy," said the doctor as she wheeled the boy to the operating room.

As he was leaving, Luffy looked back to the others, who all give him reassuring smiles.

XXX

12:46 pm.

In the operating room, Luffy was lying on the table, surrounded by surgeons. He was nervous, but, like Ace told him, he was going to suck it up and take it like a man. Plus, everybody was going to be waiting for him when it was over.

"Okay, son," said one of the surgeons, who placed a mask over his mouth and nose. "Just relax and breathe deeply."

Luffy nodded before he began to take slow, deep breaths, in and out.

"Can you count backwards for us?" asked another surgeon.

Luffy nodded.

"10…9…8…"

As he reached 8, Luffy's vision began to get blurry.

"7…6…"

Then, his eyes started to flutter closed.

"5…4...3…2…"

That was as far as Luffy could get before everything went dark.

XXX

2:20 pm.

The appendectomy was a complete success. The doctors managed to remove Luffy's appendix before it could burst.

As they had told him, everybody was there to see Luffy when he got out of surgery. When he awoke, however, the anesthesia still had yet to wear off, so he felt groggy and acted somewhat goofy. He had also been saying the strangest things, like that he had a pet chipmunk and that his name was Peter.

Everybody just chose to ignore him.

Once he was fully awake, Luffy was given a jar with his appendix inside. He affectionately named it "Phil".

"Why 'Phil'?" Ace asked him.

"Well, why not?" Luffy asked back. "You named your tonsils Ron and Hermione."

"Hey, you said you'd never mention that! Besides, I was only 10! I didn't know what the hell I was talking about!"

In spite of this, Ace was just happy that Luffy was okay, and what's more, Luffy overcame his fear of going under the knife, thanks to his big brother.

Now if only he'd overcome his fear of needles.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	18. Sabo's Visit

**Ch. 18- Sabo's Visit**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Friday, April 12th. 3:33 pm.<p>

Luffy, who had fully recovered from his surgery in the hospital, and Blizzard were on their way home from school.

Today, for music class, Brook taught the class about Zydeco. Luffy had a lot of fun playing the rub board.

He was thinking about going to see Usopp later so that they could play VS. mode on _One Piece: Unlimited Adventure_ on the Wii.

As Luffy walked, he couldn't help but notice that he was being followed. He looked back and he saw a dark blue Volvo, slowly driving behind him until the driver parked it near the sidewalk.

Instinctively, Luffy went on the defensive, and Blizzard was also prepared.

However, as the driver stepped out, Luffy soon dropped his defensive demeanor and let out a gasp of surprise.

The driver who came out of the car was a man in his twenties with short, blonde hair. He stood about as tall as Ace, and wore a white shirt and black tie, as well as a pair of polished shoes.

"Hey, there, Luffy!" said the man. "Long time, no see, huh?"

Luffy's mouth upturned into a wide-open grin.

"SABO!" he shouted before he launched himself at Sabo, throwing his arms around him in a huge hug. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Well, I was in the neighborhood," said Sabo, "so, I figured I might as well drop by and say 'hi'!" He notices Blizzard approaching him. "Who's this?"

"This is Blizzard," Luffy answered. "He's my new dog."

"Well, hey, Blizzard!" Sabo said as he knelt down to pet the white dog.

"We were just on our way home," Luffy told Sabo.

"In that case, how about I give you a lift?" Sabo asked.

"Sure!" Luffy said.

XXX

7:25 pm.

Ace arrived home from his job and parked in the driveway of the house. For some reason, there was a dark blue Volvo parked there.

He didn't know anybody who had a Volvo, especially one of that color.

Luffy must be having company over without his permission, again.

Getting out of his car, Ace entered the house.

"Luffy!" he called.

"I'm in here, Ace!"

Ace walked into the living room.

"Luffy, why is there a Volvo parked in the drive-" he cut himself the moment he entered. He saw Luffy and Blizzard sitting on the couch, and leaning against one of the walls was Sabo.

"Hey, Ace," Sabo greeted, casually.

"Sabo!" Ace cried before he ran up to the man and pulled him into a hug, albeit not as airtight as Luffy's. "I can't believe it! It's been, like, 10 years, man! What are you doing here?"

"I'm on vacation," replied Sabo. "Just for the weekend, anyway. I just got back from a book signing."

Ace smiled at Sabo as he pulled.

To further explain things, Sabo was an old friend of Luffy and Ace since they were kids. At the age of 17, he became a famous writer for adventure novels, his most popular novel being _Pirates Tales_, which Luffy favored.

In fact, Sabo mailed at least 5 of the 30 volumes of his pirate novel to Luffy over the past 4 years.

"Sabo says he wants to meet my friends, tomorrow!" Luffy said.

"Maybe you ought to drop by the wharf afterwards," Ace said. "You can meet Pops and my friends, Thatch and Marco."

"That'd be cool," Sabo said. "I've only heard about them in your letters. Speaking of which, Luffy, you REALLY have to work on your handwriting!"

"What?" Luffy questioned. "I write just fine!"

"Really?" Sabo asked. "Well, last time I checked, the word 'good' does not spell G-E-W-D."

Luffy grinned sheepishly.

XXX

Saturday, April 13th. 12:15 pm.

Luffy, Blizzard, and Sabo were walking through Going Merry Park.

"I remember when we used to come down here to play on the slide when we were little," said Sabo.

"Well, now," Luffy began, "my friends and I just come down here to hang out and talk about stuff going on in our lives."

"I see," Sabo said.

At that moment, Luffy spotted Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Sanji, and Vivi sitting at the one of the park benches.

"There they are!" he said. "Hey, guys!"

Everyone looked upon hearing Luffy's voice and waved to him.

"C'mon, Sabo!" Luffy said as he led him over to the bench.

"Hey, Luffy," Usopp greeted.

"Hey," Luffy greeted back.

Nami stood up and greeted her beau with a kiss to the cheek.

"Who's your friend, Luffy?" asked Vivi.

"This is Sabo," Luffy replied. "Sabo, this is Zoro, Nami, Usopp, his puppy, Chopper, Sanji, and Vivi."

"Nice to meet all of you," Sabo greeted.

"Sabo…" Usopp repeated. "Wait a minute! Sabo as in, 'Sabo Goa, the famous author of _Pirates Tales_'? THAT Sabo?"

"The one and the same," Sabo said.

"No way!" Nami exclaimed.

"That's awesome!" Usopp said. "I have 10 volumes of your novel! I'm a huge fan!"

"So am I!" Vivi said.

"Hey, do you think you could sign one of the books I have in my collection?" asked Sanji.

"And me, too?" asked Zoro.

"Hey, c'mon, you guys," said Luffy. "Sabo's on vacation."

"Actually, I don't mind," Sabo said. "Anything for my fans."

Luffy smiled a bit, but he couldn't help but feel an odd feeling forming in the pit of his stomach.

"So, guys," Luffy called. "How about lunch? I'm getting pretty hungry."

"Oh, yeah," Nami said. "Lunch sounds good."

"I've got some money," Luffy said. "I'll buy."

"Oh, that's okay, Luffy," said Sabo. "I can treat you guys!"

"Really?" Zoro asked.

"That's very nice of you!" Nami said. "Thank you, Sabo!"

Luffy shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. It was nice of Sabo to want to pay for lunch, since it was in his nature, but still…he couldn't help but feel…jealous.

XXX

4:55 pm.

Luffy and Blizzard came home, later that day, the former of the two sitting on the couch, watching T.V., arms crossed, eyebrows knitted, and lower lip poked out in a pout.

All day, everybody was talking with Sabo and not him. He tried to get a word in, but it appeared that everyone was too busy admiring his old friend to listen to him.

Only Blizzard seemed to give him the attention.

Just then, Luffy heard the door open.

"Yo! Luffy! I'm home!"

Luffy looked up and saw Ace entering.

"What are you doing back so soon?" asked Luffy.

"Pops gave me the day off," said Ace. "Where's Sabo?"

"He's staying at the hotel that he checked in to," Luffy answered.

"Ah," Ace said. At that moment, he seemed to notice his little brother's somewhat sour mood. "Okay, Luffy. What's up?"

"What do you mean?" Luffy questioned.

"Luffy, I can tell when you're in a bad mood," Ace said. "So what's going on?"

Luffy heaved a sigh. Nothing really got past Ace.

"I think Sabo's trying to steal my friends from me," said Luffy.

"What makes you say that?" Ace asked.

"Today," Luffy began, "when I took Sabo to see everybody, everyone just started to talk to him, like I was invisible."

"I see," Ace said. "Well, you know, Luffy, Sabo can't help it. He IS a famous author."

"Well, maybe I don't want him to be a famous author, anymore!" Luffy spat.

Ace put his hands to his hips and looked at Luffy in a disapproving manner.

"Luffy, that's not nice," he chided. "Sabo used to support you whenever I didn't, and I bet he still would, too? Remember when you told Mom that you wanted to go out and see the world when you got older? Mom supported you, and yet I said that you were too weak. And what did Sabo do? He told you that you could do anything you wanted to if you worked hard for it! When he decided that he wanted to be an author, we supported him, too!"

Luffy looked away from Ace, a feeling of guilt beginning to form in his heart.

Ace was right. As far as he could remember, Sabo had always supported Luffy whenever Ace didn't, and in return, he gave Sabo his support, as well.

He was almost like a second big brother to him.

Luffy heaved a sigh.

"Listen," Ace said as he sat down next to him. "I know you mean well, Luffy. I also know that Sabo doesn't mean to take your friends from you. So, tomorrow, I want you to talk to them and tell them how you feel. Okay?"

"Okay," said Luffy. "Thanks, Ace."

Ace smiled as he pulled Luffy into a hug, lightly kissing his forehead.

XXX

Sunday, April 14th. 10:00 am.

Luffy and Blizzard were down at the park with Zoro, Usopp, Chopper, Nami, Sanji, and Vivi, the reason being was because he had called them here for a meeting.

He had explained to them how he felt yesterday started paying attention to Sabo and not him.

Needless to say, everyone felt pretty guilty.

"Gosh, Luffy," Vivi said. "We're sorry."

"Yeah," Usopp said. "The last thing we'd ever want you to think is that we neglect you."

Nami stood next to Luffy and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm sorry, too," she said.

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better," said Zoro, "how about we go and grab a bite to eat?"

"I'll buy," Sanji added.

"Hey, I made the offer, Dartboard-brow," growled Zoro.

"Do you even have the money, Moss-head?" questioned Sanji.

Luffy just laughed at the two as they exchanged insults.

That was one thing down, now to take care of another matter.

XXX

11:22 am.

After they ate at Bonney's Pizzeria, Luffy and the gang were walking around the city, just to hang out and whatnot.

Suddenly, _**WOOOOOOO!**_ The sound of a siren blaring came. Looking back, the group of friends saw that it was a fire engine, racing down the road.

"What's going on?" Luffy asked.

"It looks like it's headed for the Silver Fox Hotel," Nami said.

Luffy gasped silently. He felt his heart stop, and he felt a great sense of dread.

"Guys," said Luffy. "That's where Sabo's checked himself in!"

Everyone exchanged glances at each other, then back at Luffy.

Without another word, the gang quickly followed the fire engine to wherever it was headed.

Hopefully, it wasn't where Luffy thought it would be.

XXX

11:34 am.

Luffy's fear had been confirmed.

The Silver Fox Hotel, a five-star inn, was indeed on fire. Huge clouds of smoke was billowing out of the windows, as well as huge flames, which were desperately being doused out by the fire hoses.

Outside, police, a few ambulances, fire engines, and even the news crew was here.

Kalifa, the anchorwoman, was now broadcasting the story, standing in front of the camera with a microphone in hand.

"A dramatic story, here at the Silver Fox Hotel," said Kalifa. "At exactly 11:20 am, the building has been set on fire, seemingly by an arsonist. So far, guests are still evacuating, even as the firefighters are extinguishing the flames. We have been confirmed that sadly, three did not survive. We also have a confirmation that the famous author, Sabo Goa, is still trapped inside."

"Hey, kid! What are you doing? You can't go in there!"

Turning around, Kalifa saw that Luffy had pushed himself passed the yellow tape with Nami trying to stop him, and ran inside the building, giving little regard to his own life.

"Luffy, no!" Nami shouted.

"Come back here, you idiot!" Usopp cried. "You're gonna get killed in there!"

XXX

At home, Ace had just gotten into his car, fueled by both anger and fear.

He had just seen Luffy on T.V., foolishly running into a flaming building, and all he could do was say…

"Damn it, Luffy!"

XXX

Luffy covered his mouth with the collar of his hoodie as he pushed himself into the flames. He had to find Sabo, and quick, but as far as he knew, he could be anywhere within the flaming hotel.

The smoke didn't appear to be helping with the matter, for it was clouding his vision and making it harder for him to breathe.

"Sabo!" Luffy called in the hope that he would answer. "Sabo, where are you? Answer me!"

"Help…! Somebody~!"

Luffy gasped. That was Sabo's voice, but where is he?

Looking over a fallen support beam, he saw, to his horror, that Sabo was lying there, a stream of blood seeping from his forehead, at that the support beam had fallen right on top of his back!

"Oh, no…!" Luffy whispered. "Hang on, Sabo! I'll get you outta here!"

With a forceful shove, Luffy pushed the support beam away from Sabo and hoisted the fallen man onto his back. He could tell that Sabo had just slipped into unconsciousness, and that meant he had to get him out and get him help, and fast.

Wasting no time, Luffy headed for the way he came in: the door. However, just when he was getting closer, some flaming debris came falling down in front of him, blocking his path.

Now he had to find another way out.

Luffy coughed. The smoke was starting to get to him. If he didn't get out, now, then both he and Sabo are doomed.

At that moment, he spotted a window nearby. It seemed risky, but he had to take it.

Throwing caution to the wind, Luffy ran to the window and **SMASH!** He jumped right through the glass, several shards being sent flying on the ground.

He was lucky that an inflatable cushion was there to break his and Sabo's fall.

The people gathered around the two, one of them being Nami, who pulled her beau into an airtight embrace, yelling at him to never do something so reckless, again.

In spite of this, all Luffy was worried about was Sabo.

He hoped he was still alive.

XXX

8:02 pm.

Luffy and Ace decided to pay Sabo a visit at the hospital.

His back was broken, but not completely, so with therapy, he'd be able to walk again in about 2 or 3 weeks. He suffered a concussion and a few 2nd degree burns, however, so it appeared his vacation had just gotten extended.

Luffy sat next to Sabo with a bouquet of flowers for him.

"So how're you feeling, Sabo?" Luffy asked.

"Better than I was, earlier," said Sabo. "Thanks for saving my life, back there, Luffy. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Luffy smiled at Sabo.

"Hey, Luffy," said Ace. "Don't you have something else you have to say to Sabo?"

Luffy looked at Sabo, who gave an inquisitive expression.

Luffy just heaved a sigh.

"Uh, Sabo," he said. "There's something I kind of have to confess. You see…when I introduced you to my friends…all they did was pay attention to you. It kind of made me feel invisible, so…I was pretty jealous."

Sabo stared Luffy for a moment, but then heaved a sigh of his own.

"I had a feeling," he said. "You know, I'm glad you said something. I didn't want your friends to think that I could be someone who was better than you. To be honest, I kind of felt a little suffocated."

"Well, you are famous," said Luffy with a grin.

Sabo grinned back.

"Say, Luffy," he said. "I think you just gave me inspiration for the next volume of _Pirate Tales_."

Luffy's grin grew wider, and he snickered.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	19. Up a Tree

**Ch. 19- Up a Tree**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Monday, April 15th. 4:23 pm.<p>

It was the first day Spring Break. Luffy and friends had an entire week to themselves.

Luffy and Nami were both taking a walk in the park, the former having already sent his dog home without him, so it was just them, at least until Luffy dropped Nami off at her house.

As they walked, Luffy seemed to spot something in the branches of one of the park's cherry blossom trees. It looked like it was shining in the afternoon sun.

"What is it, Luffy?" Nami asked before she looked to where her beau was looking. "Do you see something?"

"Yeah," Luffy answered. "C'mon. Let's go check it out."

With that, Luffy and Nami headed to the cherry blossom tree and looked up at its branches.

"I thought I saw shining up there," said Luffy. "I'm gonna climb up and see what it is."

Luffy grabbed onto the tree's trunk and began to climb up, swinging and jumping from branch-to-branch, as if he were an actual monkey.

"Luffy!" Nami called. "Be careful!"

Luffy nodded back at her before he continued climbing. Once he reached another branch, he saw what was glistening in the sunlight.

It was a silver coin, wrapped up in a bundle of twigs, grass, leaves, and other things.

"What did you find, Luffy?" Nami called.

"A coin!" Luffy called back. "It's in a bunch of little sticks, grass, and stuff!"

"I think that coin is being used for a bird's nest, Luffy! Maybe you ought to leave it alone and come back down!"

"Okay!"

Luffy prepared to climb back down, but then he stopped.

"Luffy?" Nami called. "What's the matter, now?"

"Nami!" Luffy called down. "You gotta come up here!"

"Why?"

"Just come up!"

Nami heaved a sigh before she started to climb up the cherry blossom tree until she reached the branch her boyfriend was sitting on.

What she saw gave her quite a surprise.

From where they were sitting, Luffy and Nami had a beautiful view of the park.

It was breathtaking.

"Wow…!" Nami whispered.

Luffy gently draped an arm around Nami's shoulders, and then, he moved in and planed small pecks on her neck, suddenly causing her to break out in laughter.

"Luffy, no-ho-ho-ho!" Nami laughed. "Stop that! It tickles!"

"Oh, it tickles, huh?" Luffy questioned in a playful manner before he threw his hands at her and began to wiggle them all over, from her neck to her stomach, making her laugh even more.

"Luffy, stop it!" Nami cried in her laughter. "You're gonna make us both fall!"

Luffy didn't stop. He was enjoying this a bit too much.

"All right, fine!" Nami said. "If that's way you wanna play, then have a taste of your own medicine!"

With that, Nami soon retaliated her boyfriend's tickling with her own, scribbling her fingers over his abdomen.

"He-hey!" Luffy laughed as he began to break out in laughter. "No fair! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Stop that!"

Nami didn't listen. She continued her assault on her beau to the point where he was barely hanging onto the tree branch, any longer.

Just then, Luffy lost his balance and began to descend from the tree. At the last second, he grabbed Nami by her wrist and pulled her down with him.

"AHH~!" Nami screamed as she and Luffy fell to the grass, which softened their fall once they landed.

They panted and laughed a little. Luffy had an arm wrapped around Nami as he was trying to catch his breath. At that moment, he suddenly felt his cheeks get warm, and he felt a slight movement in between his legs.

Nami prepared to get up, but then, Luffy pulled her back against his chest.

"Luffy?" Nami asked. "Is something wrong?"

Luffy looked Nami in the eye. His eyes seemed rather misty and a bit dazed. Without warning, he captured his girlfriend's lips with his own.

Nami didn't protest. She pressed her lips against Luffy's, deepening the kiss. Luffy pressed his tongue against Nami's lips, and easily entered the wet cavern of her mouth. He gently flicked her tongue, asking her to follow him. She didn't hesitate and let her tongue pass through his lips.

They let out soft moans of pleasure as they continued their kiss, but then, their lungs began to remind that they needed air, so they separated.

They breathed heavily, trying to catch their breath.

"Nami," Luffy said. "I really wish that I could go all the way, but I'm trying to limit myself and respect you."

"I understand, Luffy," Nami said. "Sooner or later, I know you won't be able to control your urges, but you know that I'm not ready to go that far, yet."

Luffy looked up to the sky, going into thought.

"Then how about later this summer?" asked Luffy. "Do you think you'll be ready then?"

Nami paused for a moment.

"Well," she said. "I guess so."

Luffy gave Nami a grin and a snicker.

"It's a deal, then!" he said.

Nami smiled at her beau before she rested her head on his chest.

She always did enjoy making Luffy happy.

And so, with those plans in mind, Luffy and Nami headed for home, the latter holding the former's hand the whole way.

* * *

><p>Thank you, Lord Dico, for the idea. Sorry it's short.<p>

Review, please!


	20. Zoro's Secret Part 1

**Ch. 20- Zoro's Secret- Part 1**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

* * *

><p>Tuesday, April 16th. 12:10 pm.<p>

Zoro was having himself a pretty rough Spring Break.

Why?

His girlfriend, Tashigi, had dumped him for some other guy, yesterday.

Zoro felt that it was better this way. He didn't really like her finicky nature or her clumsiness or that she was always yelling at him for who-knows-what.

Still, deep down, the poor man felt empty inside. Aside from his friends, Tashigi was the only one who made his life less boring.

All he felt like doing was drowning his sorrows in Corona down at the bar where he hangs out at.

His stepfather, Mihawk Dracule, had been telling to move on with his life, but Zoro had a tendency not to listen to him.

**THUNK!** Zoro slammed his mug against the counter.

"Barkeep," he said. "Another Corona."

"Don't you think you've had enough?" asked the barkeep.

"I said 'Another Corona', damn it!" Zoro cursed, slamming his fist against the counter.

The barkeep sighed as he went to refill the disgruntled man's glass.

"Zoro?"

Zoro looked up and saw Luffy approaching.

"What are you doing down in my neighborhood?" asked Zoro. "You know Ace won't let you down here."

"That's why I didn't tell him I was coming down here," Luffy said before he took a seat beside Zoro. "Look, man. I'm worried about you. Everyone's worried about you. So Tashigi dumped you! It's not the end of the world!"

"Sorry," Zoro said. "It's just…sure, Tashigi was a bit bossy and overbearing, but I still loved her, damn it."

"Well, maybe she didn't love you the way Nami and I love each other," Luffy told him. "Look Zoro. You're gonna have to move on with your life. You can't just sit here at the bar every day and drink your sorrows away."

Zoro just sat there.

"Well," Luffy said. "That's all I came to say. I better get outta here before Ace finds out where I really am."

With that, Luffy left the bar, leaving Zoro alone.

XXX

Wednesday, April 17th. 10:00 am.

Zoro awoke with his head feeling like a sack of rocks. He must've had more Coronas than he could take.

As he sat up in bed, he realized that he was not in his own bed. In fact, he wasn't even in his own room.

This room appeared more…feminine with pictures of flowers and a bookshelf up against one of the walls.

Where the hell was he? How did he get here?

And where were his clothes?

"What did I do, last night?" Zoro asked himself as he held his heavy head.

"Awake, already, Mr. Roronoa?"

Zoro gasped before he looked to his left and saw Robin, just waking up, her black hair a slight mess and also in her birthday suit like Zoro was.

"M…Miss Nico?" Zoro cried. "W-what are you doing here? What am I doing here? Where are we?"

"My apartment," Robin answered. "I found you last night on your way home, but you looked so drunk, that you could barely walk, so I brought you here. The rest if history."

Zoro looked down in disbelief. He couldn't believe this was happening.

He had slept with his history teacher!

What were Luffy and the others going to say if they found out? He'd never live it down!

Robin, however, was busy getting herself dressed in a purple robe.

"I put your clothes in the laundry, last night," she said. "From what I've heard, you and your girlfriend…err, I'm sorry…ex-girlfriend, broke up."

"We didn't break up," Zoro corrected. "She dumped me."

"Isn't it the same, any way you look at it?" Robin asked.

"No," Zoro replied. "Besides, it's probably for the best. She was way too bossy, anyway. How do you know about that, anyway?"

"Because you've talking about it ever since I got you in my car," Robin said. "By the way…that was fun, last night, even though you were inebriated."

Zoro gritted his teeth.

"You can go home once you feel better," Robin said as she got up and walked out of the room.

Zoro just sat in the bed, silent.

How was he going to tell his friends?

XXX

3:30 pm.

Zoro, now fully clothed, arrived at his house later that day. He saw that Mihawk wasn't home. To him, it was all the better.

He went to the fridge and saw that Mihawk had ordered take-out last night. He decided to heat some up in the microwave.

Once that was done, he sat in on the couch and flicked on the T.V..

Just then, Zoro heard his cell phone ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket and pressed "talk" before holding up to his ear.

"Hello?"

"**Hey, Zoro!"**

"Oh, hey, Luffy!"

"**Hey, I called you like ten times last night, and you didn't pick up! You okay?"**

"Fine."

"**You sure? When I called your place, your step-dad said you weren't home. Where were you?"**

"I was…staying at a friend's place."

"**Which friend?"**

"Does it matter? I'm home, now!"

"**All right! All right! Jeez, don't have a horse."**

"It's 'don't have a cow'."

"**Same thing. Hey, Usopp, Nami, and I heading down to the mall, later. You wanna come?"**

"Sure. I can't think of anything better to do."

"**Great! See you then!"**

"Yeah, see you."

With that, Zoro hung up and heaved a sigh.

He should've known that his friends would be looking for him since he didn't come home, last night, but he couldn't possibly tell everyone that he…well, you know.

XXX

Luffy hung up his cell phone and put it back in his pocket.

"So what did Zoro say?" Nami asked.

"He said he'll come," Luffy replied.

"Don't you think it's weird that he didn't come home, last night and then didn't show up till you just called him?" Usopp asked.

"He was staying at a friend's place," Luffy said. "He probably got so drunk, he couldn't even stand."

"If you say so," Nami said. "Still…I can't help but worry about him."

"Me, too," Luffy said.

* * *

><p>That's right, folks! There's gonna be some ZoroXRobin in ths one! Stick around for the fun!<p>

Review, please!


	21. Zoro's Secret Part 2

**Ch. 21- Zoro's Secret- Part 2**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>4:00 pm.<p>

Zoro arrived at the mall an hour later. Once he got there, he saw Luffy, standing outside with Blizzard, but no Usopp or Nami.

"Hey, Luffy!" Zoro called.

Luffy turned to his best friend and smiled.

"Hey, Zoro!" he called.

"Where are Usopp and Nami?" asked Zoro.

"They had last minute plans," Luffy answered. "Nami's taking a gardening class and Usopp had to take Chopper to the vet."

"What's wrong with Chopper?" Zoro asked.

"He accidentally swallowed one of Usopp's socks," Luffy said. "So, it's just you, me, and Blizzard."

Blizzard barked in agreement.

"So, we going in, or what?" Zoro asked.

"Yeah, okay," Luffy said before he, Blizzard, and Zoro entered the mall.

XXX

4:15 pm.

Luffy, Zoro, and Blizzard just exited from the Silver Fox Video Game Store to get some video games, Luffy's favorite being _Super Monkey Ball 3D_ for his Nintendo 3DS.

Zoro got _Afro Samurai_ for his Xbox 360.

"Where do you wanna go next?" asked Zoro.

"I promised Nami I'd get her some new shoes," Luffy said.

"What are you, her servant?" Zoro questioned.

"I'm her boyfriend," Luffy said. "Is it bad that I wanna do something for her?"

"Good grief," Zoro said under his breath. "You sound like that dumb-ass cook."

"I heard that!" Luffy barked.

Suddenly, Luffy's stomach started grumbling.

"Uh, can we get lunch first?" he asked.

"I thought you ate before you got here," Zoro said.

"Well, I didn't have much to eat," Luffy said.

Zoro heaved a sigh. He decided he wasn't gonna ask.

As the boys walked through the mall, Zoro spotted something in the distance, or rather…someone.

Robin was stepping out of the book store with her purchases.

Zoro gritted his teeth and gasped silently. Of all the places he had to run into his history teacher, why here?

"Hey, look!" Luffy said. "It's Miss Nico!"

"So, I see," said Zoro.

"Hey, let's call her over," said Luffy.

Zoro gasped. Before he could stop him, Luffy was waving to Robin and calling her name.

"Hey! Miss Nico!" he yelled. "Miss Nico, over here! Hey~!"

"No, no!" Zoro protested.

It was too late. Robin had seen them and was already on her way over.

"Hello, boys," the history teacher greeted. "Enjoying your Spring Break, I hope."

"Yeah," Luffy said. "Fancy running into you here, huh?"

"Indeed so," Robin said. "Especially you, Mr. Roronoa."

Zoro groaned under his breath and turned away slightly.

"So, what are you doing here, Miss Nico?" asked Luffy.

"Oh, please, call me 'Robin'."

"Okay, _Robin_," Luffy said. "So, anyway, what brings you down here?"

"Oh, I was just doing some book shopping," Robin said. "I was just about to go and grab lunch. Maybe you'd like to join me. I'll buy."

Luffy's stomach grumbled.

"We'd love to, but we can't," said Zoro as he turned to leave. "Luffy, let's go."

Luffy suddenly grabbed Zoro by the arm, stopping him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zoro questioned.

"In case you didn't hear my stomach, I'm starving!" Luffy growled. "We shouldn't pass up Robin's hospitality. Let's go and have lunch with her."

Zoro groaned in frustration and disbelief.

XXX

4:30 pm.

Luffy, Zoro, Blizzard, and Robin were down at the food court, having lunch. Luffy ordered himself a bacon-double cheeseburger with barbecue sauce, making sure to order a plain burger for Blizzard, Zoro had gotten a hot dog, and Robin had gotten a salad.

**MUNCH! CHOMP! CHOMP! GULP! URRRRP!** Luffy messily ate his burger, barbecue sauce, cheese, and ketchup dribbling from his place on the table, much to Zoro's disgust.

"Damn it, Luffy, will you stop eating like you haven't eaten in days?" Zoro barked. "Seriously! You're getting barbecue sauce on my pants!"

"Oh, big deal," Luffy said with his mouthful. "It never bothered you before."

"Don't talk with your mouthful," Zoro said.

**SLUUUUUUUURRRP! BURP!** Luffy took a big sip of his soda and let out a large belch.

"Luffy, c'mon!" Zoro snapped. "There's a woman here! I'm surprised Nami's not disgusted with the way you eat!"

"I don't really mind," said Robin. "So, Mr. Roronoa, how've you been doing since you got home?"

"Uh…" Zoro mumbled, eyes darting from left to right.

"How did you know where Zoro was, Robin?" Luffy asked.

"Luffy, shut up…!" Zoro grumbled.

"Oh, I happened to bring him to my house," Robin said. "He was so drunk, he could barely move. I couldn't just leave him alone."

"Oh, I see," Luffy said. "Well, thank you!"

"My pleasure," Robin said.

"So did you and Zoro happen to do anything?" Luffy asked.

"Luffy, I said 'shut up'!"

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Robin replied. "We-"

"Uh, excuse us, Miss Nico," said Zoro. "Can Luffy and I have a moment alone? It's a…'man' thing."

"Of course," Robin said. "Go right ahead."

With that, Zoro grabbed Luffy and pulled him away from the table and dragged him to a distance where Robin was out of earshot. Blizzard followed behind them.

"What's the big deal?" Luffy asked.

"Listen, Luffy," Zoro said. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Uh…yeah," Luffy answered.

"Okay," Zoro said. "Remember that I was at the bar yesterday?"

Luffy nodded.

"Well…I kind of had one too many, so I got pretty drunk…and then…"

He gestured Luffy to come closer.

The 17-year-old leaned in so that Zoro could whisper in his ear. As he did, Luffy's eyes suddenly went wide.

"YOU SLEPT WITH HER?" Luffy yelled for almost everyone around to hear.

"SHHHHHH!" Zoro shushed, clamping his palm over Luffy's mouth.

Lucky for them that Robin happened not to hear.

"How could you sleep with Robin, man?" Luffy questioned. "She's, like…9 years older than you!"

"Shut up!" Zoro hissed. "Look, I didn't know what the hell I was doing, okay? I was DRUNK outta my mind! Just promise me that you won't tell the others."

"Well, why not?" Luffy asked.

"Because if they found out," Zoro started, "they'd probably never let me live it down! Just promise me that you'll keep your mouth shut!"

"All right, I'll keep it shut," said Luffy.

"Swear it!" Zoro barked.

"Okay, okay!" Luffy said, hands raised defensively.

"Good," said Zoro. "Now let's go back to finishing lunch and then let's get the hell outta here."

Zoro turned to head back to the table, but Luffy just stood there watching him, an expression of concern written all over his face.

For once, food wasn't really on his mind, right now, and he didn't feel as hungry as he was earlier.

Blizzard nudged Luffy's hand, and Luffy responded by gently brushing his hand on his dog's head.

"Blizzard," he said, "this isn't good."

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	22. Zoro's Secret Part 3

**Ch. 22- Zoro's Secret- Part 3**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>6:00 pm.<p>

Luffy and Blizzard arrived back at the house later that day and were now sitting on the couch, watching TV.

Still, he couldn't but think about what Zoro had said.

Luffy, to be honest, wasn't really all that good at keeping secrets. He remembered when Usopp was keeping a rather embarrassing secret about an incident in the girl's bathroom, 2 years. He accidentally let the cat out of the bag, and Usopp hasn't forgiven him about it, since.

He could only wonder how long he was going to keep this one.

Suddenly, Luffy heard the sound of the door open.

"Luffy! I'm back!"

Ace was home.

Great.

Luffy stood up to greet his brother with a hug.

"Hey, Ace," he said. "I thought you wouldn't be home till eight."

"Marco had last minute plans," said Ace before he held up a paper bag. "I brought tacos."

Luffy took the bag and started digging inside for a taco.

"So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Ace asked.

Luffy froze, just when he was about to take a bite out of his taco.

"Uh…no," he said, pursing his lips and looking away, sweating bullets.

Ace raised an eyebrow, inquisitively at Luffy.

His little brother always made that face when he was attempting to lie, and Luffy was a terrible liar.

"You're kidding me, right?" Ace questioned.

"Nope," Luffy said, eyes still averted and lips still puckered as he was trying to whistle. "Nothing happened at all."

"Luffy, I know when you're lying to me," said Ace. "And I know for a fact that you suck at lying. So what's going on?"

"N-nothing," Luffy stammered. "Nothing interesting happened, today! Nothing at all!"

Ace approached Luffy with a mischievous smirk on his face. Then, he quickly swiped his little brother's taco right out of his hand, and. To add insult to injury, he held it up out high, out of Luffy's reach.

"Ace!" Luffy cried. "Gimme back my taco!"

"First, tell me what you're hiding," Ace said, "then you can have it back."

"Can't I just say I made a promise to a friend and keep it that?" Luffy asked as he tried to reach for his food.

"Sorry, Lu," said Ace, "but that's not good enough!"

Luffy turned to Blizzard, who just shrugged, as if to say, "Don't look at me!"

"Luffy, I'm waiting."

Luffy looked up at Ace. He really didn't want to break his promise to Zoro, but…maybe Ace would try to keep a secret, too.

"Okay, fine," said Luffy with a sigh. "You see…" he gestured Ace closer with a finger. He then whispered into his brother's ear.

Ace's face when to amused to shocked to just plain disgusted.

"ZORO SLEPT WITH YOUR HISTORY TEACHER LAST NIGHT?" he yelled at a volume that could've woken up the dead.

Luffy immediately put a finger to his lips and shushed him.

"The neighbors are gonna hear you, man!"

"Luffy, I'm sorry, but…" Ace started, "how could Zoro do that? Isn't Miss Nico, like…9 years older than he is?"

"He was drunk!" Luffy remarked. "He didn't know what he was doing! Robin found him last night while he was trying to get home, so she brought him to her place and…well…the rest is history! Look, Ace, please don't tell anyone else about this! Don't tell Zoro that I told you, either! He'll never forgive me!"

"O-okay, Luffy, okay," Ace said. "I won't tell anybody. I swear."

Luffy heaved a sigh.

"Thanks, Ace," he said.

"No problem," Ace said. "I'm just surprised that Zoro trusted you and not anyone else."

"Well, we are best friends," Luffy said.

"I know…but still…Zoro should learn to trust others, too."

Luffy looked at Ace, who handed him back his taco.

"Enjoy your food," said Ace as he headed to his room to eat.

Luffy looked down at his taco, then at Blizzard before he heaved a sigh.

"Blizzard?" Luffy asked. "Why is it that whenever Ace says stuff like that, I don't feel hungry anymore?"

* * *

><p>Sorry that it's short.<p>

Review please!


	23. Zoro's Secret Part 4

**Ch. 23- Zoro's Secret- Part 4**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Thursday, April 18th. 10:25 am.<p>

Zoro was walking through Going Merry Park. He had received a text message from Nami, who said that there was going to be a meeting going on and that he should come over.

Whatever it was, it had better be good.

At one of the park benches, he saw Luffy, Blizzard, Nami, Usopp, and Vivi, sitting around, waving over to him. He waved back and came over.

"I'm surprised you didn't get lost," Usopp said.

"Shut it," Zoro said before he took a seat next to Vivi. "So, what are we talking about, here?"

"You," Nami answered.

"Me?" Zoro repeated, questioningly.

"Yes, Zoro," Nami replied. "You and Robin."

Zoro's eyes went wide before he turned to Luffy, who gave him a nervous smile and started to shrink under the bench.

"I…told Ace, first," he muttered. "Then I told the others."

"Luffy, you bigmouthed little…!" Zoro growled, angrily. "I ought to-"

"Don't go getting mad at Luffy, Zoro!" Nami barked, coming to her beau's defense.

"Thank you, Nami," Luffy whispered.

"Besides," Nami began, "you should've known better than to trust Luffy with a secret." She turned to Luffy. "No offense."

"None taken."

"It doesn't matter!" Zoro said. "Now you all know where I've been, two nights ago, and I don't need you guys rubbing it in to make my life worse for me!"

"We're not here to rub it in," said Vivi.

"We're just discussing it," Usopp added.

"To be honest Zoro," Luffy started, "we think you might have a shot with Robin."

Zoro looked at Luffy like he was speaking a different language.

"You're kidding…right?" he questioned.

"Well, Zoro," Nami said, "we think Robin cares for you more than Tashigi ever did."

"Plus, she seems like your type," Vivi added.

Zoro couldn't believe what he was hearing. Instead of laughing and trying to humiliate him, his friends were supporting him into getting into a relation with his history teacher? What is WRONG with these people?

"Are you freaking serious?" Zoro asked them. "I can't date Robin! She's 9 years older than I am! That'd be too weird!"

"So?" Usopp asked. "Look at Luffy and Nami! Nami's a year older than Luffy is!"

"They're different!" Zoro countered. "If I went out with Robin, it'd be like Luffy was with Hancock!"

"Hancock was a _sexual predator_ who tried to molest my boyfriend!" Nami argued.

"Can we not say that?" Luffy asked.

"Sorry," Nami said.

"Look, all of you, just stay the hell outta my life, alright?" Zoro snapped. "This is not YOUR problem!" He turned to Luffy. "And Luffy, the next time I tell you to secret that I don't want anyone else to know, KEEP YOUR DAMN, FREAKING MOUTH SHUT!"

Luffy stared at Zoro with wide eyes and mouth gaping open, like he had been punched in the gut.

With that, Zoro stomped off in a huff.

"Where are you going?" Nami called.

"The bar!" Zoro called back. "Where the hell do you think I'm going?"

Nami sighed as she sat back down and turned to her boyfriend, who had his hand over his face and his teeth clenched. She heard a distinct sniff and spotted small traces of tears falling down his eyes.

"Oh, Luffy," she said before she took her hurt lover into her arms.

"I told you he was gonna get mad at me!" Luffy said, tearfully. "Why am I such a screw-up?"

Blizzard put his paw on Luffy's lap, concernedly.

"It's not that you're a screw-up, Luffy," Nami said.

"Zoro just has a lot to learn about trust, that's all," said Usopp.

XXX

12:03 pm.

Zoro was down at the bar, drinking down his Corona. This was his 5th one, so far, and to say he was pissed would be a total understatement.

"Damn that Luffy," he grumbled. "I knew I shouldn't have told him! I can't trust him for anything!" He took another swig of his Corona. "'We think you might have a shot with Robin.' Yeah, right! I should've known better than to go blabbing to him! 'Best friend', my ass!"

Just then, Zoro heard the sound of the bar door opening, then closing, and then the sound of someone entering, and who or whatever it was, it was coming towards him. Looking up, Zoro saw, to his irritation, that it was Sanji, his hands in his pockets and chewing on the butt of a lit cigarette.

"Hey," said Sanji in a rather angered tone.

"What the hell do you want?" Zoro questioned, not looking back at him.

"Oh, nothing much," said Sanji. "Just wanted to know something, like…oh, I dunno…why you slept with Robin?"

Zoro's eyes widened and he tightened the grip on his beer.

"How the hell did you find about that?" he asked. "Luffy didn't tell you, too, did he?"

"I happened to hear him when he was yelling about it at the mall, yesterday," Sanji answered him. "But not that's the point. How dare you deflower beautiful Robin like you did?"

"I was drunk outta my mind!" Zoro barked as he stood up. "I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so just butt out, dartboard!"

"Oh, no," Sanji said. "I don't think so. Look at you. You drink. You do nothing but lay around on your ass and lift weights all day. No wonder Tashigi left you!"

"Yeah, well what about you? Nami left your overly jealous ass for Luffy, and you didn't freak out about that!"

"Luffy's better for Nami! But you and Robin? I just can't picture it! Robin deserves so much better than you! As your teacher and all, that's fine, but you dating? Never gonna happen!"

"You can't decide that! It's not like your Robin's boyfriend!"

"So what? It's in my nature to protect women like Robin from alcoholic, lazy-ass pigs like YOU!"

Zoro splashed Sanji in the face with his Corona.. Sanji responded by roughly pushing him.

What happened next…well…it was NOT pretty.

Zoro tackled Sanji into a wine keg and repeatedly started to punch him in the face. Sanji countered by delivering a kick to Zoro's stomach and then pushed him off of himself before he lunged at him at full force. Zoro grabbed a nearby chair and smashed it over Sanji's head, drawing a great amount of blood.

A hit like that would normally kill a guy, but not Sanji.

All the patrons within the bar were forced to flee from the violence while the barkeep just hid behind the counter, too scared out of his mind to call the police.

XXX

Outside the bar, not too far away, Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Vivi, and Blizzard happened to be on their way down there to try and to talk Zoro one more time.

Also, Luffy wanted to apologize for letting the cat out of the bag.

"Luffy, didn't Ace say you're not supposed to be down in Zoro's neighborhood?" Vivi asked.

"I didn't tell him I was coming down here," Luffy said. "Besides, he said don't come here ALONE. That's why I have you guys."

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass was heard, catching the group's attention.

"That does not sound good," said Usopp.

"C'mon!" Luffy exclaimed before he and the gang ran to investigate.

Once they entered the bar, they gasped.

The place looked like it had been hit by an indoor tornado! Tables were flipped over, chairs were smashed, glass bottles lay broken upon the floor, the contents spilt, and in the middle of it all, Zoro and Sanji, bloody and bruised.

"Oh, no…!" Nami gasped.

Just when they were about to go at it, again, Luffy and the others swooped in and pulled the two men away from each other. Luffy, Nami, and Blizzard had Zoro while Usopp and Vivi had Sanji. That still didn't stop the sparks from flying.

"Let me go!" Sanji snarled. "I'll kill that moss-headed freak!"

"Back off!" Zoro barked. "This is between me and him!"

"Whatever Sanji did to piss you off, Zoro," Luffy began, "just forget about it!"

"No!" Zoro snapped. "He's really gonna get it, this time!"

"Sanji, listen!" Vivi said. "Whatever you did to Zoro, just apologize!"

"I can't do that, Vivi," Sanji said. "This guy needs to pay for what he's done to Robin!"

"How did you find out?" questioned Usopp.

"Long story," Sanji said. "All I know is that Zoro is gonna get what's coming to him!"

"I don't plan on dating Robin, if that's what you're thinking!" Zoro spat. "In fact, I hope I don't EVER see her, AGAIN!"

Then came a pause.

"Is that so?"

Everyone looked to the bar entrance. There, staring with wide, shocked eyes, was Robin. She looked like someone had just stuck a knife in her heart.

"R-Robin," Zoro stammered.

"If that's the way you feel, Mr. Roronoa," said Robin, "then fine."

With that, Robin turned and left.

Zoro went from angry to surprised…to feeling just plain awful.

"You see what you've done, now?" Sanji asked.

"Shut up!" Zoro barked before he pulled away from Luffy and ran out the bar. "Robin! Wait! Come back!"

Everyone just stared and watched, not bothering to go after him.

Something told them that he needed to do this himself.

* * *

><p>I think the end of this one might've been a bit rushed.<p>

Review, please!


	24. Zoro's Secret Part 5

**Ch. 24- Zoro's Secret- Part 5**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

* * *

><p>7:00 pm.<p>

Zoro had been running all through the streets to find Robin, but to no avail. The darkness of night didn't make it any easier.

"Damn," the 19-year-old cursed. "Where did she disappear to? I'm not gonna look for her, all night!"

As Zoro kept walking, he saw that he didn't have to look for Robin any longer, for he saw her familiar figure standing on the roof of one of the buildings.

How she got there, Zoro decided not to ask. He figured she must've taken the fire escape stairs, and therefore, he climbed up after her.

Once he reached the top, he saw that Robin was sitting all alone, looking out to the moon, her back turned to him.

Zoro sighed as he prepared to approach, but then…

"What do you want?" Robin asked.

Zoro glanced at Robin in surprise, but then he regained his composure.

"Listen, Robin," Zoro said. "I'm sorry about what I said…it's just…I don't want everyone to make a big deal out of what we did. I mean…I was drunk! I didn't know what I was doing! Plus, I'm 19! I'm way too young for you!"

"It didn't really matter to me," Robin said. "Do you know why?"

Zoro just stared, in silence.

"Because you were my first," Robin said, answering her own question.

Zoro's eyes went slightly wide.

"That's why I get so happy whenever I see you, Zoro," Robin said. "I don't care about age. When we…did it, that night…I thought that for once…I found someone to call my own. And what do you do? You shoot me down like a game bird. I should've known that you'd never return my feelings."

"Robin, that's not true," Zoro said. "When I said those things…and when saw you run away…I realized how wrong I was. It's just…"

"Just what?" Robin asked.

"You really wanna know?" Zoro asked her. "Well…to start…when I was little, about a year before I met Luffy and way before I met Tashigi, I had a crush on another girl: Kuina. She and I were best friends…and I admit, she was about two or three years older than I was…but I didn't care. I loved her. But then one day…her dad told me that she fell down the stairs of her house and died breaking her neck. It tore me up. I didn't wanna end up loving someone like that, again…but years later, I started going out with Tashigi, but it was only because she looked so much like Kuina. Sure, she was a bossy, overbearing bitch, but I still loved her. And what does she do? She just up and leaves me!"

Robin just sat where she was, not speaking one word.

"That's why," Zoro said. "That's why I don't want to fall in love, again. I'm afraid…I'm afraid of getting heart broken all over again."

There was a long pause. The only thing that broke it was the sound of cars driving along the road and the chatter of the people walking down the streets.

Suddenly, Zoro felt a warm touch to his shoulder. Looking back, he saw that it was Robin, a soft smile upon her face.

"You won't have to worry about getting your heart broken, anymore," Robin said, "because I'll stay with you. I'll stay with you through anything…forever."

Zoro felt his heart starting to beat faster than he ever felt it before. He recognized this feeling…and now…he never wanted it to leave him, again.

Without warning, the 19-year-old captured the dark-haired woman's lips with his own, his eyes closed. Robin soon followed.

If anyone were watching this, right now, some would say that it would be a beautiful sight. A couple, kissing on the rooftops under the lights of the moon and the stars.

Down below, Sanji was looking at the scene unfolding. He didn't try to climb up and try to break them up. Instead, he simply took a drag of his cigarette and blew out a puff of smoke.

"Damn moss-head," he cursed before he walked away.

XXX

The day after, Zoro decided to let everyone know that he and Robin were officially a couple, earning a round of congratulations from his friends, except for Sanji, of course.

Sanji gave Zoro a warning that if he hurt Robin in any way possible, then he'd kill him.

Zoro didn't really take him seriously, but then again, he decided to keep his guard up, just in case.

When Tashigi heard about it, she decided that she would try and win Zoro back, to no avail.

Zoro only had this to say to her:

"It's your fault. You pushed me away. Now go find someone else to boss around."

Robin was the happiest out of all. She finally found someone to love and give her love in return, and for her, that was all that mattered. She didn't care what other people would say.

Love had blossomed anew, and for Zoro and Robin, it would grow to be even bigger as time goes by.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	25. The Spring Dance

**Ch. 25- The Spring Dance**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard, Tangerine © Me

* * *

><p>Wednesday, April 24th. 12:45 pm.<p>

The school's Spring Dance is going to be held tonight, and most of the students had dates for the event.

Vivi was having trouble finding her date to the dance, and almost every guy in school asking her was not helping the matter.

Usopp was the DJ, but he asked Kaya to accompany him, anyway, which she accepted.

Zoro decided to bring Robin. He didn't feel the need to hide their relationship from people anymore.

And Luffy, of course, was going to take Nami.

At first, he was afraid that his girlfriend was going to say no, but he managed to wrack up the nerve to ask her, himself, and he glad he did. Now, once he got home, all he needed to do was get ready for it.

XXX

6:35 pm.

Nami was in the bathroom, putting her hair up in a ponytail. She was dressed in a beautiful red dress with a black choker around her neck with a tangerine pendant: a hand-me-down from her late mother. She didn't bother to put on any make-up, since she knew Luffy didn't care very much about her facial appearance.

Besides, her skin was flawless to begin with.

"NAMI! LUFFY'S HERE!"

"Nojiko, you don't have to yell!" Nami called to her sister. "I'm not deaf!" She turned to Tangerine, who was sitting on the counter. "How do I look, Tangerine?"

**Meow!** Tangerine mewed at Nami, who giggled and gently scratched the kitten's ear.

"I think so, too," she said.

"NAMI!"

"I'M COMING!"

With a groan, Nami got her purse and prepared to walk down the stairs to greet her date. When she got down, she saw Luffy, standing in the doorway, wearing his straw hat, a tuxedo, and a pair of shiny leather shoes. In his hand was a red rose, which was trimmed of its thorns.

It surprised Nami to see her beau so finely dressed.

Same could be said for Luffy about Nami.

"Hey, Luffy," Nami greeted as she approached him.

"Hey," Luffy greeted back, presenting her with the rose in his hand, which she took. "Ready to go?"

"Mm-hmm," Nami hummed in reply.

Luffy took Nami's hand in his and walked her out of the house, leading her to his bike.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Ace doesn't trust me with the car."

"I don't blame him," Nami said, under her breath.

"What was that?" Luffy asked.

"Nothing," Nami answered.

With that, Luffy and Nami mounted the bike, preparing to head off to the school.

"I'll have her back by nine, Nojiko!" Luffy called.

"Oh, please! Take your time!" Nojiko called back. "Have fun!"

"We will!" the couple answered in unison.

Luffy pedaled off with Nami holding on tightly behind him.

XXX

6:50 pm.

Luffy and Nami arrived at the school. After Luffy had chained his bike, he and his date went to the gym, where the dance was being held. When they were about a few feet from the doors, they could already tell that the festivities were under way, since they could hear the thumping music through the walls.

As they entered, they were met with a grand sight: the gym was decorated to emphasize the season of Spring with flowers and colorful lights such as pink, yellow, red, green, and orange. There were students everywhere, dancing, chatting, hanging out, and just having a good time altogether.

Luffy saw Usopp up on stage, sitting behind the turntable with headphones over his ears and bobbing his head to the beat of the music. Beside him was Kaya, clapping her hands and laughing with him.

Nami saw Zoro, sitting down with Robin on the bleachers, talking with each other.

On the dance floor, both Luffy and Nami saw, to their surprise, that Vivi was also here…with Sanji!

It looked like he decided to be her escort.

"So what do you wanna do first?" Luffy asked, trying to talk to Nami over the loudness of the music.

"How about we go to the snack table?" Nami asked back.

Luffy managed to hear the last two words in her sentence before he ran to the snack table. There, he found a large assortment of treats. Luffy drooled at the sight of cake, cookies, and fruit punch in the large glass bowl, but then he remembered that Nami was with him. Not wanting to be selfish, he reached over, got a cup, poured some punch into it with the ladle, and then offered it to Nami, who took it with a smile and had a drink. He also gave her a cookie to eat.

"Thanks, Luffy," Nami said.

Luffy smiled and chuckled at Nami.

"Nami! Luffy!"

Luffy looked back and saw Vivi and Sanji approaching.

"Hey, guys!" Luffy greeted.

"Sanji?" Nami asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I came as an escort for Vivi!" Sanji said. "And guess what! We started dating a couple of days ago!"

"You did?" Nami asked.

"Yeah!" replied Vivi. "Isn't it great? We started to hang out together, and we connected so easily!"

Luffy wasn't really listening that much. He was too busy eating a slice of cake from the table.

"I'm very happy for the both of you!" Nami said. "But Sanji, try not to let your jealousy get the best of you with this one, okay?"

"I promise!" Sanji answered.

At that moment, Usopp changed the music on the turntable.

(BGM: Watashi ga Iru Yo)

Nami and Vivi both gasped in delight.

"I love this song!" they both said.

"Sanji, c'mon!" Vivi said. "Let's dance!"

"Yes, Vivi, my dear~!" Sanji swooned.

With that, Vivi took Sanji by the hand and ran back to the dance floor.

"C'mon, Luffy!" Nami said. "Let's go dance, too!"

Luffy's eyes went wide.

"D…dance?" he repeated. "Us?"

"Yeah!" Nami answered. "They don't call it the 'Spring Dance' for nothing!"

Luffy nervously looked to another direction, sweat appearing on his brow and chewing on his lip.

"Uh…" he muttered before he looked behind himself. "H-hey! Look! There's Zoro and Robin! I'm gonna go talk to them!"

At that, Luffy went over to his friends, leaving Nami slightly confused.

Why did Luffy suddenly get nervous when she mentioned dancing?

Deciding to shrug it off as nothing, Nami decided to join her boyfriend in chatting with their friends.

"Hey, Zoro," Luffy greeted as he sat next to his best friend. "Hey, Robin. How's it going?"

"Everything's going good," Zoro said.

"Yes," Robin said. "I still have my job, thank goodness."

"How's that even possible?" asked Nami, who came to sit down next to her history teacher.

"Well, since Zoro is really an adult by age," Robin explained, "our relationship doesn't really matter."

"Well, we're glad for you guys," said Luffy. "Try not to lose this one, okay, Zoro?"

"I don't intend to," Zoro said. "Trust me."

"Try not to lose your patience with Zoro, okay, Robin?" Nami asked.

"Oh, I think I'll manage," Robin said.

Usopp changed the music on the turntable once again.

(BGM: Mr. Bombastic)

"Aren't you gonna get up and dance?" Nami asked Robin.

"Oh, no," Robin said. "I don't dance much."

"Yeah, I'm much of a dancer, either," agreed Zoro. "I mean, like dancing, yeah, I just don't do it that much."

"Well, what about you, Lu-" Nami was about to ask, only to see that her beau had now disappeared. "W-where'd he go?"

"Snack table," Zoro and Robin answered in unison.

Nami looked across the gym and, true to form, saw Luffy, chowing down at the snack table.

Now Nami felt really confused. How come Luffy didn't want to dance with her?

Suddenly, coming to the Spring Dance didn't seem like it was much fun, anymore.

XXX

7:30 pm.

Only an hour-and-a-half until the dance was over.

Luffy was sitting at one of the tables, alone with a cup of punch and a cookie.

Nami was talking to one of her girl friends, Conis. Apparently, she was having as much as Luffy was, either.

Luffy felt awful. He knew that Nami wanted to do more than just talk and hang out with friends. She wanted to go dancing with him, too, but…he couldn't tell her why he didn't want to. It was too embarrassing.

"Hey, Luffy."

Luffy looked up to see Sanji approach him.

"Hey, Sanji," he greeted.

Sanji sat down in front of Luffy.

"What's the matter?" the blonde asked his friend. "You should be out there with Nami, right now."

"I can't," Luffy said.

"Why not?" Sanji asked. "What's wrong?"

Luffy looked up to Sanji. He seemed like the type to able to keep a secret, plus he knew a bit more about girls than he did, so he figured he could tell him.

"Okay," said Luffy with a sigh. "The truth is…I wanna dance with Nami, it's just…I can't do it."

"Can't do what?" asked Sanji.

"Dance," Luffy answered. "I can't dance, Sanji. Every time I try, I end up tripping over my own two feet! That's why I can't dance with Nami. I'm one of the most popular kids in school now, and if Nami and everyone else that I can't dance…everyone's just gonna laugh at me like they did before!"

Sanji exhaled.

"I see," said Sanji. "Well, Luffy, you're not alone."

Luffy looked up at Sanji in perplexity.

"I used to have the same problem when I was dating Nami," the older man said.

Luffy's jaw hung up open and his eyes went wide.

"You couldn't dance, either?" he questioned.

"Nope," Sanji answered. "I couldn't keep a beat to save myself, but unlike you, I didn't very embarrassed about it. I told Nami, and she suggested I go to dance classes, and the next thing I know, I can cut a rug like nobody's business. You see, Luffy, Nami understands things, unlike most girls. So you can't dance. So what? She'll still love you, no matter what."

Luffy felt realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Yeah," he said. "You're right, Sanji! She would love me, no matter what! So I can't dance, so what? I'm gonna ask her, damn it!"

"Well, you better do it, quick," Sanji said before he pointed to the bleachers. "Look."

Luffy looked over and saw Nami…being pestered by one of the guy students: a jock named Wiper.

That was enough to get his blood boiling.

Luffy stood up from the table and stomped over to Nami and Wiper, the latter of whom refusing to leave the former alone. Once he was behind Wiper, Luffy tapped on his shoulder, forcing him to turn to him.

**BAP!** Luffy laid a sucker punch to Wiper's cheek, sending him down to the floor and knocking him out cold in an instant. He straightened his bow tie and walked up to Nami.

"Are you okay?" Luffy asked.

"I am now," Nami answered.

Luffy looked down, as if he felt ashamed.

"I'm sorry I haven't been spending much time with you, Nami," he apologized.

"It's okay," Nami said.

"No, Nami, it's not," Luffy remarked. "It's…it's not fair to you that I brought you here…and then I won't go dancing with you."

"But why won't you?" Nami asked.

"Because," Luffy began before his voice turned into an incoherent mumble.

"What?" Nami asked. "I can't hear you."

"I said I can't…" Luffy said before he started mumbling under his breath, again.

"What?"

"I can't dance!" Luffy exclaimed, although it was at a volume that not everyone could hear since the music was still so loud. "There, I said, all right? I didn't wanna go dancing with you because I can't dance! Every time I try to dance, I can't keep the rhythm and I end up falling over myself! I was afraid you were gonna laugh at me. I was afraid…everyone would laugh at me."

Nami reached out and gently cupped Luffy's chin with her hand.

"Luffy," she said. "You know I would never laugh at you. I love you, dummy."

Luffy smiled a bit, but then he looked away, again, his smile fading.

Nami hummed a bit in thought, but then, an idea came to her.

"Luffy," she said. "How about I teach you how to dance?"

"Teach me?" Luffy repeated. "How?"

"I'll be right back," Nami answered before she went to the stage where Usopp was. She tapped on his shoulder, causing him to turn to her with a smile.

"Hey, Nami," he greeted. "What can I do for you? Any requests?"

Nami nodded her head, and then whispered into his ear. Usopp put on a look of disbelief.

"Play what?" Usopp questioned. "Are you out of your mind?"

Nami pulled out 50 Berries, causing Usopp's mood to switch entirely.

"Apparently not," said the long-nosed teen before he swiped the money out of the orange-haired girl's hand. He then turned back to the turntable, opened the drawer marked "D" and began to look through it. He pulled out a dusty old record and blew on it, then set it on the turntable. He placed the needle on the record, the causing the song to play.

(BGM: Shake Your Groove Thing)

As the music started, everyone looked up to see a disco ball appear from the ceiling, which was somewhat confusing.

"What's going on?" Zoro asked.

Nami ran over to Luffy and pulled him out on the dance floor.

"N-Nami, wait!" Luffy stammered. "I change my mind!"

"Relax!" Nami told him. "Just follow my lead."

Luffy nodded as he and Nami came out into the center of the dance floor. Nami put a hand on her hip and the pointed up into the air. Luffy followed, feeling somewhat self-conscious, but then felt himself relaxing when he felt like he wasn't alone, and when he saw everyone watching with smiles.

Nami then started doing the Disco Point, and Luffy soon followed after, a smile appearing on his face.

The watching crowd soon grew larger, watching the couple dance with interest. Before they realized, they were dancing along, too.

Luffy and Nami then joined hands and did a bit of a disco-like tango, their faces cheek-to-cheek, twirling, pulling away and back with Luffy pulling off a dip.

Soon, Luffy started feeling confident enough to try and dance on his own, so he let twirl away while he pulled off some of his own fancy moves, such as doing a low, bent knee walk and pointing his fingers to the floor.

Sanji and Vivi smiled at the two, the former feeling proud of his friend for coming out of his shell.

Zoro, meanwhile, was patting his lap and bobbing his head to the beat of the music whilst he watched his best friend dance. In fact, he started getting up and dancing himself, along with Robin.

"Gotta admit," Zoro said, "I never thought of Luffy as much of a dancer! He's sure got some moves!"

"WHOOOOOO!" Robin cheered.

Nami pulled off some moves her own, twirling, spinning, kicking, whatever, and she gained the attention of many guys in the process.

Luffy was getting some looks himself as the girls began to admire him, all while he was doing a little bit of break dancing. He then tipped his hat over his eyes and pulled off a very classic dance step: the Moonwalk.

The watching crowd roared and hooted with cheers.

Nami and Luffy soon joined hands again, and started twirling around. Soon, it felt like they were the only two on the dance floor as they looked into each other's eyes. Luffy was laughing with Nami, who was happy for him.

At last, Luffy had let go of his fears and just let loose.

What a wonderful night.

XXX

9:00 pm.

The dance was over. Everyone was heading home, now, some with fond memories and some with not-so-fond memories, but it was surely a night to remember.

Luffy was riding his bike with Nami in back, preparing to take her home for the night.

As they rode through the streets, Luffy turned and entered the park. He stopped in front of the pond, much to Nami's confusion.

"Luffy, why are we stopping here?" asked Nami.

"Well, I was thinking," Luffy began as he dismounted from the bike, gently pulling Nami off, as well, "the night's not really over…right?"

Nami's eyes went wide and her lips parted slightly, but then she smiled at Luffy, who smiled back at her. He reached inside the basket of his bike and pulled out a boom box. He set it on the grass and pressed the "play" button.

(BGM: Bella Notte)

Luffy turned to Nami and offered her his hand, which she took. Luffy then pulled Nami closer to her, one hand holding hers, the other on her waist, while Nami had one hand on his shoulder.

They danced to the music, slowly, revolving around and around, staring each other, passionately in the eye.

What a night it had been. First, Nami taught how to dance, now he was returning the favor by dancing with her even after the Spring Dance was over, and in the middle of the park, even.

Nami felt like she didn't have any words to express how much she truly appreciated Luffy…so, she did this.

She reached up and kissed him on the lips, which he returned. As they broke, they returned to staring each other in the eye.

"Thank you, Nami," said Luffy. "This has been the best night of my life."

"Mine, too, Luffy," Nami said. "Mine, too…"

And so, Luffy and Nami stood in the middle of the park, dancing under the light of the moon, together.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	26. The Gun Part 1

**Ch. 26- The Gun- Part 1**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Tuesday, April 30th. 11:34 pm.<p>

Downtown, where most of the trash, materialistically and humanly speaking, liked to hang around, one young man was plotting.

Plotting the downfall of his enemy.

Who is this young man, you may ask?

None other than Bellamy.

Bellamy sat on a trashcan, fingers drumming against the lid with his other arm draped over his knee.

Ever since that fateful day when Luffy punched him in the jaw for hurting his dog, Bellamy had never felt so humiliated. He had been made a fool of in front of his lackeys, and he became the laughing stock of the whole school!

He had been spending all that time away from that place, just so he could plan Luffy's downfall.

For once, Sarquiss and Lily didn't really find Bellamy's plan so fun. They decided that they wanted no part of it and left him, thus ending the Hyena Gang.

Bellamy decided that he didn't need them anymore…

Not for what he had in mind, at least.

A sick grin appeared on his face as he let out a malevolent snicker.

"You're going down, Straw Hat."

XXX

Wednesday, May 1st. 10:15 am.

Luffy, Nami, Zoro, and Vivi were walking down the hallway together, just hanging out and carrying on normal conversation.

"And that is why I will never eat prunes, again," said Luffy.

"Gross," Zoro commented.

"Hey, have you guys noticed that Bellamy has hardly shown up at school?" Vivi asked.

"Who cares?" Nami asked. "That jackass can disappear off the face of the world as far as we're concerned. Right, Luffy?"

"Damn right," Luffy agreed. "Before I socked him in the jaw, he's been making life hell for us everyday, and even if he showed up right now, I'd still kick his ass 'cause I proved to him that I'm way stronger than he is!"

"Luffy!"

Everyone turned to see Usopp running down the hallway, a panicked expression written upon his face.

"Hey, Usopp!" Luffy greeted. "What's with you?"

"Luffy, thank God, I caught up with you!" Usopp said. "You and Blizzard gotta get outta here!"

"What?" Zoro asked. "But why?"

"It's Bellamy!" Usopp answered. "He's back, and he's got a gun!"

Luffy stared at Usopp inquisitively, then he laughed.

"Yeah, right, man," he said.

"Luffy, I think he's serious," Nami said.

"I AM serious!" Usopp said. "I saw him, just now, and I heard him say something about shooting you, Luffy! Don't you see what's going on? He's here to kill you!"

"If that's true," Luffy began, "then how come we haven't heard any gunshots or screams?"

**KABAM!**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Everyone looked down the hallway upon hearing those noises. Around the corner, they were soon met with a stampede of panicked students, and they were forced to divide aside to avoid getting trampled.

"What the hell?" Zoro questioned.

"What's with everyone, today?" Vivi asked.

"It's like they saw a ghost or something!" Nami added.

It felt like hours before the students cleared the hallways. Once it was safe, Luffy and the gang regrouped.

"What the hell was that about?" Luffy questioned.

"I'm telling you, it's Bellamy!" Usopp said. "Listen, I'm telling you now, we gotta get outta here while we still can!"

Suddenly, everybody heard pained breathing and the sound of someone limping.

Rounding the corner came Coby…a small stream of crimson fluid seeping from a visible hole in his calf.

"Coby!" Luffy shouted before he ran to his aid. "My God, what happened?"

"B…Bellamy…" Coby stammered. "He shot me, Luffy, and now, he's coming for you!"

"Your damn right."

Luffy looked up to see Bellamy, rounding the corner. In his hand…was a gun.

"Surprise, surprise," said the hateful teen. "Eh, Straw Hat?"

Luffy turned to Usopp, who gave him a look that asked him, "NOW do you believe me?" Then, he slowly stood up and started to back away, taking Coby along with him.

"H-hey, Bellamy," he said. "Take it easy, Put that gun away. I don't see anybody getting hurt!"

"You mean like you?" Bellamy asked. "Not so tough, now, are you, Straw Hat?"

Luffy gave Coby to Vivi and whispered, "Take him to the nurse."

Vivi nodded her head before she took the freshman to the nurse's office to get his bullet wound treated.

"Bellamy, listen," Luffy said. "We can talk about this, can't we?"

"I've been done with talking," Bellamy answered, sinisterly. "You know what they say, Straw Hat." He pointed his gun at Luffy. "Action speaks louder than words."

"RUN!" Luffy yelled to his friends.

"You don't gotta tell us twice!" Usopp exclaimed before he, Zoro, Nami, and Luffy ran from Bellamy, just as he was pulling the trigger.

**KABANG!** The gun was fired, but it barely missed Luffy by a hair as he rounded the corner.

"Shit!" Bellamy cursed before he gave chase.

XXX

Outside, Blizzard, who was taking a nap by the bike rack, awoke from the sound of gunshots, and already, he knew that his beloved master needed his help.

As the white dog prepared to run inside, he was suddenly stopped upon feeling a yank at his collar.

It was then that he remembered that Luffy had chained him to the bike rack so as to ensure that he wouldn't run away during school hours due to an incident that happened last Monday involving a cat.

What could he do?

XXX

Meanwhile, Luffy, Nami, Zoro, and Usopp were still running away from the possible psychopath. Once they were certain they were a safe distance away from the gun-toting bully, they stopped by one of the restrooms to catch their breath.

"Zoro," Luffy said. "Go outside, get Blizzard, and get him out of here!"

"Got it!" Zoro said before he split from the group.

"Nami and Usopp, you go get the principle and tell him to call the police!" Luffy ordered.

"Right!" Usopp said before he also went off in another direction.

"Are you kidding?" questioned Nami to her beau. "I'm not leaving you in here alone with that trigger-happy maniac!"

"Nami, you have to!" Luffy retorted. "I'm the one Bellamy's after! If you got hurt because of me, I'd never be able to live with myself! Now get outta here!"

"No!" Nami argued. "Luffy, I'll never leave you, even if that means getting killed!"

"Nami, you don't-"

**BANG!** Another gunshot, and Luffy and Nami dodged another bullet on instinct. Looking back, they saw that Bellamy had caught up with them.

The pair were forced to start running, again, and Bellamy ran after them.

XXX

Usopp burst into Principal Shanks's office in a frenzy.

"Principal Shanks!" he cried. "We've got an emergency!"

"I know," Principal Shanks said. "Calm down, Usopp. The police are on their way."

"You might wanna call Luffy's brother while you're at it!" Usopp said. "Bellamy's after him!"

Shanks gasped.

XXX

Vivi had successfully gotten Coby to the Nurse Kureha's office and was now on her way outside, where she figured that everyone else was. Before she did that, however, she had one last thing to do.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.

XXX

Whitebeard Warehouses.

This was where Ace and his friends worked, loading and unloading ships at the wharf.

Ace had just finished unloading some cargo from another ship, when suddenly, he heard his cell phone ring. He reached into his pocket, pulled it out, opened it, and pressed talk.

"Talk to me," he said.

"**Ace! It's Vivi!"**

"Oh, hey, Vivi! You okay? You sound scared."

"**You have to come down here, right now! It's an emergency!"**

"Why?"

"**It's Luffy! I think he might be in trouble!"**

Ace felt his heart clench, and his eyes went wide.

"I'll call you back," he said before he hung up. He then turned to Marco. "Marco!"

"Hmm?"

"Tell Pops I'm going on a break…again!"

"Little bro trouble?" Thatch questioned.

Ace heaved a sigh.

"More than you think," he said before he ran off to get his car keys.

XXX

Zoro came outside through the back doors of the cafeteria, and after a while, he managed to find his way to the front of the campus where the bike rack was. However, upon getting there, he gasped in shock.

He found a broken chain, the one Luffy used to tie Blizzard to the rack…

But Blizzard was nowhere in sight.

"Oh, crap," Zoro cursed.

* * *

><p>Sorry it's been so long since I've updated this story, and that the chapter's so short!<p>

Review, please!


	27. The Gun Part 2

**Ch. 27- The Gun- Part 2**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>12:45 pm.<p>

Ace drove as fast as he could, trying to get to his little brother's school.

He hated to think about what would happen if he didn't get there in time, which was why he was in such a hurry.

However, he was forced to stop when a driver up ahead had started to slow down.

"HEY!" Ace yelled. "SPEED IT UP, JERK!"

**HONK!** He honked on the horn.

"Damn it," he cursed.

XXX

Luffy and Nami had been running away from Bellamy for over 2 hours, now, but their pursuer would not give up.

Not until he carried out what he came to do.

Nami hissed in pain as she kept running alongside Luffy, who held her hand tight, mostly out of guilt.

The reason why was because Nami had gotten hit in her right bicep. True, the bullet only grazed her, but the stinging that it left was more than she could bear.

Luffy had managed to get it tied up, but he seemed to do a poor job at it, for it was starting to come loose.

If only Nami had left when he told her to!

**KABAM!** Another bullet was fired, and Luffy and Nami were able to duck beneath the shot, but that only reminded them that Bellamy was still in hot pursuit.

"This way!" Luffy said as he and Nami entered one of the storage closets.

Luckily for them that Bellamy didn't see.

Luffy took a peek outside, just to make sure that the maniac wasn't there before he turned to Nami.

"Listen," he whispered. "I'll act as a decoy while you get away."

"No!" Nami argued. "Luffy, I said I'm not leaving you here with him!"

"Shh!" Luffy shushed, his voice slightly louder than a whisper. "Don't be so loud! He'll hear you!"

"What are you talking about?" Nami questioned, her voice rising. "You're being louder than I am!"

"No, I'm not!" Luffy said, his voice still a bit softer than Nami's but not as soft as it was before. However, he managed to regain his composure and said, "Listen, Nami. Please, just get out of here while I've got Bellamy distracted."

"I said 'no'!" the orange-haired girl argued. "Remember when you told me that you wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to me? Well, that's how I feel about you!"

Luffy sighed. Then, he took Nami's hands in his, looked deep into her eyes, and said, "Trust me…"

Nami gazed at her boyfriend before she also let out a sigh of her own. Then, she embraced him.

"Try not to get killed," she whispered. "Please…"

Luffy returned the hug, combing his fingers through his girlfriend's hair. He pulled away, slightly, and kissed Nami on the lips.

As he pulled away, he opened the door and saw Bellamy with his back turned.

Now was his chance.

Luffy opened the door and came out of the closet, cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "HEY, HYENA BREATH! OVER HERE!"

Bellamy turned around to face Luffy, who turned and ran, forcing him to give chase.

Nami came out of the closet the moment Bellamy turned at the corner and made for a quick exit.

As Nami made her way out, a white blur raced by her, making her gasp, but then, she turned around, and she could've sworn that she saw a white, bushy tail disappear around the corner.

"Blizzard?" Nami questioned.

XXX

"BLIZZARD! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU STUPID MUTT?"

Zoro was out on campus, trying to find Blizzard through the crowd of panicked students.

If he didn't find that dog soon, Luffy would have a cow!

"Zoro!"

Zoro looked behind himself and saw Robin approaching.

"Thank God, you made it out okay," he said. "Did you see Luffy or Nami in there?"

"No, I didn't," Robin said, "but I did see Blizzard."

Zoro threw his head up once he heard the dog's name in that sentence.

"You did?" he asked.

"Yes," Robin answered. "Why?"

Zoro looked back in the building, gritting his teeth.

"Crap!" he cursed before he ran back in the way he came out.

Just then, Sanji drove up in his blue Corolla and parked in front of the building.

"Sanji!"

The blonde young man looked up and saw Vivi run up to her.

"Oh, Vivi, my darling!" Sanji exclaimed as he ran up to embrace. "Thank God, you're all right! I tried to get here as fast as I could, but that crap geezer kept holding me up! You're sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Vivi assured. "It's Luffy and Nami I'm really worried about! Bellamy's in there chasing them!"

"What?" Sanji yelled, questioningly.

XXX

Luffy ran down another hallway, constantly dodging Bellamy's shots. One nearly got him in the ear, but he managed to avoid it.

"Hold still, Straw Hat!" Bellamy shouted after Luffy. "How do you expect me to shoot ya if your don't hold still?"

Luffy turned another corner, just as Bellamy fired another shot at him, only to miss, again.

"Fuck it!" Bellamy cursed. "I've got the worst aim!"

Luffy ran down the hallway until he burst through the doors of the gymnasium.

"Crap!" he cursed. "Now what?"

He looked around, hoping to find a way out, but the bleachers were blocking the exit, and it appeared that the only he could he could escape was the way he came in, but then, he saw something.

Above the lockers where Buggy kept the balls and other things, there was an open window, and it appeared big enough for him to fit through.

It seemed like a tight fit, but he was going to take it and be quick about it, for he could hear Bellamy approaching the doors of the gym,

Luffy dashed to the locker, jumped up, and reached for the open window.

"C'mon…!" he groaned. "C'mon!"

Bellamy busted through the door, and the moment he spotted Luffy, he aimed for his head.

Luckily for Luffy that Bellamy was such a terrible shot when it came to long range, for he ended up shooting the window, instead. Unluckily, the resulting shot startled Luffy into letting go of the locker, thus causing him to fall on his left arm.

**KRRRAAAKK!** A sickening crack went out, followed by Luffy letting out a cry of pain.

Bellamy grinned and made a sick chuckle.

"Well, well, Straw Hat," he said, sinisterly. "Looks like it's just you and me."

Luffy got up to his feet, clutching his broken arm, and glared at Bellamy angrily.

"Now," Bellamy began, pointing his gun at Luffy once more, "I've only got one last shot. I better make it count. After all I just try and take you down, a notch. I even set Smoker's dog loose on you, knowing how much you're scared of him!"

Luffy gasped.

"I should've done this in the first place."

"Are you proud of what you're doing?" Luffy asked. "What's shooting me gonna solve?"

"You shut your trap," Bellamy said. "I had it all."

Luffy raised an eyebrow, quizzically.

"I was cool," Bellamy continued. "I was popular! I had RESPECT! But then you and your damn dog decided to come along and ruin everything for me! After you punched in the face like that, all that respect went down the drain! I was made into a laughing stock because of you! My own friends left me because of you, Straw Hat! Well, I want it back!"

"Respect?" Luffy repeated. "You think people respected you because you were a bully? What a load of bull crap! Bellamy, no one respect you because they thought you were cool! They were afraid of you! The only ones who didn't respect you were me and my friends! Respect doesn't come from people who fear you! Respect comes from people who feel like you deserve it, and the only you'll really get it is if you work hard and do good! That's how I got mine!"

"JUST SHUT UP!" Bellamy shouted. "I may see you flapping your gums, Straw Hat, but all I'm hearing is a bunch of garbage! And I can only think of one way to shut you up…for good!"

Luffy glared at Bellamy as the crazed teen pointed the gun at his head, finger slowly pressing down on the trigger.

It appeared that this was the end for him. He couldn't really fight back much with a broken arm.

He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes.

_Zoro…you were my best friend…and I'm glad I met you. Nami…I love you. I hope you'll be safe. Usopp…you were my second best friend. Try not to be much of a wimp, okay? Vivi…I hope Sanji takes good care of you. Robin…I'm glad you're one of us, now. Ace…I'm sorry. Take care of yourself…and Blizzard, too._

"Say, goodnight…Straw Hat," Bellamy said.

Luffy clenched his eyes shut, preparing for the bullet to hit its mark.

**BANG!**

Luffy flinched…but he didn't feel any sort of pain aside from his broken arm.

As his eyes fluttered open, he gasped, horrified as time seemed to go into a standstill

Blizzard was in midair between him and Bellamy, and on his face, Luffy could make out a pained expression written on his dog's face.

As time regained normal speed, Blizzard went falling to floor, and Luffy saw a small hole in his left side, where a stream of crimson fluid was seen seeping out onto his snow white coat.

Luffy felt like he couldn't breathe, and his heart clenched. His wide, horrified eyes began to well up with tears.

"N…no…" he whispered. "No!" He ran to the wounded dog, his left arm hanging limp beside him. "NO~!" He fell to his knees and gently took Blizzard into his good arm. "Blizzard! Are you okay, buddy? Speak to me!"

Blizzard weakly lifted his head up to look at Luffy, a sad, concerned look in his eyes, as if he were asking, "Are you okay?"

Luffy gritted his teeth before he Blizzard close to him, making sure to hold his arm over his bullet wound to keep it from bleeding further, as tears spilled from his eyes.

At that moment, Shanks and Usopp burst through the doors, and following behind them were Genzo, Nami's stepfather and chief of police, and Usopp's father, Yasopp.

"That's him, officers!" Shanks said, pointing to Bellamy.

Genzo and Yasopp soon pinned Bellamy down now that his gun was out of ammunition, and slapped the handcuffs on him.

"Bellamy," said Genzo, "you're under arrest!"

"You're going to be locked up for a long time," Yasopp added before he and Genzo took the juvenile delinquent away.

Usopp ran over to Luffy to check and see if he was all right, but upon seeing that Blizzard had suffered the most than he did, all he could do was gasp.

Enter Zoro, who had gotten lost (again) while trying to find Luffy's dog.

"Luffy!" he exclaimed as he ran to his best friend. "You okay, man? Look, about Blizzard, I-" he froze when he saw the crying Luffy holding his pet in his arm.

"Blizzard…!" Luffy sobbed. "Buddy~!"

Zoro and Usopp stared at their best friend and leader, sadly. They knew how much Blizzard meant to Luffy. Ever since they met him, it felt like he was their dog, as well, and hearing Luffy's heartbroken cries just made him feel just as much pain as he was feeling right now.

"Usopp," Zoro said. "Go call the vet."

Usopp just stood there.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Zoro barked. "I said, 'Go call the vet'!"

"R-right!" stammered Usopp before he went to go find a place with a cell phone signal.

Shanks, in the meantime, approached Luffy from behind and gently placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You okay, Luffy?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Luffy said, tearfully. "I just wish I could say the same for my dog, Shanks!"

Shanks heaved a sigh before he put his right arm- his only arm- around Luffy in a gentle embraced, being careful not to put any pressure on the 17-year-old's broken arm.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"It's not your fault," Luffy replied.

XXX

1:02 pm.

Luffy came outside of the building, still holding an unconscious Blizzard with one arm. The moment he came out, he was soon greeted by Nami, who ran to embrace him.

"Oh, Luffy, thank God!" she exclaimed as she hugged her beau. However, she soon noticed Blizzard, hanging limp in his arm and gasped. "Blizzard? What-"

"He's been shot," Luffy answered. "He took a bullet for me."

Nami stared at her boyfriend in shock, but then lowered her head sadly.

"I…I'm so sorry," she said.

"He's not dead," Luffy told his girlfriend. "I know he's not…but he will if I don't get him to a vet, soon."

Just then, Vice Principal Benn Beckman came out.

"Luffy," he said. "The vet's here. He came to take Blizzard."

Luffy nodded before he gave his dog to the older man.

"Make sure he's taken good care of," he said, earning a nod from Benn. "I'll come to see him, later."

"Luffy!"

Luffy looked over and saw Ace running up to him. He threw his arms around Luffy, who let out a grunt of pain when he accidentally squeezed on his left arm.

"You okay?" Ace asked, worriedly. "What happened?"

"Bellamy came with a gun," Luffy replied. "I was lucky I just got away with a broken arm…but, Blizzard…he…" he felt his tears returning.

"Blizzard got shot, Ace," Nami finished.

Ace gasped silently before he looked to Luffy, who started crying, once again. He then heaved a sigh and embraced his little brother, remembering not to put pressure on his busted arm.

"Oh, Luffy," he said. "Shh…it's gonna be okay." He pulled away from Luffy and took his good hand in his. "C'mon. Let's get you to the hospital. We'll go see Blizzard at the vet later. Okay?"

Luffy nodded.

As Ace led Luffy to the car, the latter felt a sickening feeling beginning to form in his stomach.

* * *

><p>I know what you people must be thinking. Trust me. I'm NOT proud of it.<p>

Anyway, review, please, but no flames or hate or anything.


	28. The Blue Beyond

**Ch. 28- The Blue Beyond**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>3:25 pm.<p>

Ace and Luffy pulled up at Hearts Animal Clinic, where Blizzard was being treated for his bullet wound. It took about a couple of hours for Luffy's arm to be put in a sling.

The D Brothers only hoped that they weren't too late.

Ace went to the reception desk while Luffy sat down next to a young girl and her mother.

The child noticed that Luffy's eyes were puffy and tired-like due to crying so much, and, naturally, she had to ask him a little question.

"Are you okay, mister?" the girl asked.

Luffy looked down at the girl and gave her a sad smile.

"Uh…yeah," Luffy said. "I just got back from getting my arm fixed up at the hospital, that's all. It's my dog I'm worried about."

The girl tilted her head.

"What's wrong with your dog?" she asked.

"Agatha," the girl's mother said. "You shouldn't be asking questions like that."

"It's okay," Luffy told Agatha's mother before he turned back to the little squirt. He inhaled, and then exhaled. "Well, Agatha…my dog's been shot, you see."

"Will he be okay?" Agatha asked.

"Well…I'm not really sure," Luffy answered. "That's why my big brother and I came here." He then turned back to Agatha. "So…why are you here?"

"Our cat's getting surgery," Agatha answered. "He has a tuber-"

"A _tumor_, Agatha," her mother corrected.

"Oh, yeah," Agatha said. "A tumor on his leg. He's getting cut off."

"Our cat's getting up there in years," said Agatha's mother. "He's about 13, now. How old is your dog?"

"Three, I think," Luffy said. Then he heaved a sigh as he put his hand over his face. "Oh…it's my fault Blizzard's in there, right now."

"What do you mean?" asked Agatha.

"Well," Luffy started, "there was this guy that came to my school, and he had a gun…and just when he had me trapped and I was prepared to die…" he felt the tears come back, "Blizzard…he…he jumped in the way and took the shot for me." He sniffled. "It's my fault!"

Agatha stared up at Luffy, but her mother did something greater than that.

She put her hand on Luffy's, a sincere expression upon her face.

"Son," she said, "it's not your fault. Your dog obviously loved you so much that he was willing sacrifice his life for you."

"She's right, Luffy."

Ace approached Luffy and sat next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I mean, c'mon, what'd you expect Blizzard to do?" he questioned. "Just run on home? You know that he's no coward. You saved Blizzard from certain death…so, he felt like he had to return the favor."

Luffy smiled at his older brother, who smiled back at him.

All of a sudden, the head veterinarian, Law Trafalgar, came out of the ER with Siamese cat in his arms.

"Here's Gizmo," he said.

"Gizmo!" Agatha exclaimed, joyfully as she ran to get her cat.

"He may act a little bit loopy," Law said, "but don't worry. The anesthetic should wear off in thirty minutes."

"Thank you, Dr. Trafalgar," Agatha's mother said before she took her daughter's in hers. She turned to Luffy with a smile. "Luffy. I hope your dog pulls through."

"So do I," Luffy agreed.

"Bye-bye!" Agatha said before she, her mother, and Gizmo left the clinic.

Ace stood up the moment they left.

"So, Law," he said. "How's Blizzard?"

"Who?" Law asked.

"The white Husky dog that came in here, earlier!" Ace answered, sounding a bit irritated.

"Oh," Law muttered. He looked away, gritting his teeth slightly. "Uh…hey, Portgas. Can I speak to you? In private, that is?"

Ace turned to Luffy, who looked back at him inquisitively.

Whatever Law had to talk about, Ace hoped it was good.

Law and Ace went over to the corner, out of Luffy's earshot, to speak.

"Just give it to me straight, Law," Ace said. "Is the dog gonna be okay or not?"

"Well," Law sighed, "I got good news and I got bad news. Good news is we managed to remove the bullet. It didn't hit anything vital. Just loose skin."

Ace attempted to heave a sigh relief, but then he refrained from doing so upon remembering that there was bad news, as well.

"Bad news is…he's gonna have to be put to sleep, anyway," Law said.

Ace stared at Law in disbelief, mouth slightly agape, but then, he suddenly got angry.

"Are you outta your mind?" he questioned. "Why save the dog's life and then decide to just kill him off, anyway?"

"I took a sample of his blood," Law said. "It turns out he's not a Husky. That's only half of what he is."

"Then what's the other half?" Ace asked him, blood boiling.

"Wolf," Law answered, simply.

Ace dropped his enraged visage and all the color drained from his face.

If there was one thing that he didn't want to hear, this would be it.

By law, any dog that even has a bit of wolf in them must be humanely euthanized.

This was going to kill Luffy.

With a heavy heart, but also with great moral courage, Ace, being the honest older brother that he was, went up to Luffy and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Is Blizzard gonna be okay, Ace?" asked Luffy.

"Well, yes and no," Ace answered, much to his little brother's confusion. He sighed, and then looked Luffy deep in the eye. "Luffy," he said. "Law managed to get the bullet out, and it didn't hit anything vital…but…"

Luffy's eyes went wide slightly.

"But…Blizzard's gonna have to be put down, anyway," said Ace.

Now it was Luffy's face that lost all color.

"He can't!" he cried. "I-I don't understand! He's gonna be okay, isn't he? Why is he gonna get put down, anyway?"

"Because Blizzard is half-wolf!" Ace answered, quickly.

Luffy felt both his heart and his stomach clench.

"Luffy, I'm sorry," Ace apologized. "Look, I know it's a lot to take in, but…you know the law! If a dog has wolf in him, he has to be put down!"

"I don't care!" Luffy yelled. "I love Blizzard, anyway! I don't even care if he's all wolf! I'd still love him!" His tears began to return, once more, and he clutched at his stomach. "I…I think I'm gonna be sick!"

"Luffy, it's gonna be fine-" Ace began, but Luffy soon cut him off.

"NO, IT'S NOT, ACE!" roared Luffy as he grabbed at his brother's shirt collar. "Don't you get it? I'm a jinx! First Dad leaves us…then Mom dies! Ace…if Blizzard dies…then life's just gonna go back to the way it was, AND I CAN'T LIVE WITH THAT!"

A pause.

Then, Luffy soon broke out into tears, mournful wails bellowing from his mouth.

Ace immediately embraced Luffy tightly, tears of his own beginning to form.

The one thing he couldn't stand…was seeing his brother so upset, so heartbroken…two things that he didn't want to see since three years ago.

Ace pulled away from Luffy.

"C'mon, Lu," he said. "Let's go home."

Luffy gazed up at Ace and said, tearfully, "Can I say goodbye, first?"

Ace looked into his brother's eyes, but then heaved a sigh.

"Okay," he said.

Luffy went inside the ER, where Blizzard was resting from his surgery. Even as the anesthesia was still slightly in affect, it seemed that Blizzard could still recognize Luffy, for he wagged his tail and smiled in greeting.

The obsidian-haired teen couldn't help but feel sorry for the wolf-dog. It was as if he didn't realize that this was going to be the last time he would ever see him.

_Make it quick, Luffy,_ the boy thought before he approached Blizzard with a sad smile and gently pet him on the head and scratched behind his ears.

"Hey, buddy," said Luffy. "Look…this isn't very easy for me to say, so I'll just come right out with it. Blizzard…you're not gonna be coming home, tonight. Since you're half-wolf, Law's gonna put this needle in you that'll make you go to sleep…but when you wake up, you won't be here anymore. You'll be in Heaven."

Blizzard just blinked sleepily.

"It's been fun, having you around," Luffy continue. "I'm glad I met you, Blizzard. You were the best dog I could ever ask for. I'm gonna miss playing with you, and feeding you peanut butter, and you and me walking to school everyday." His eyes began to flood with tears. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, buddy." He wrapped his arms around the drowsy wolf-dog. "I wish that stupid law didn't exist! I don't even care if you were all wolf, Blizzard! You're my best friend, ever…and I'll always love you!"

At that moment, Blizzard seemed to finally understand. He whimpered and brushed his cheek against Luffy's.

Luffy pulled away from his dog and stared into his beautiful cherry blossom eyes just one last time. Then, he made a big, toothy grin, even as the tears continued to fall.

"Goodbye," he said before he turned and left, and Blizzard just stared behind him.

Still somewhat drowsy from the anesthesia, the wolf-dog just sleepily closed his eyes, preparing for just one last needle. As he did, he could only think of one thing.

_Don't forget me…Luffy…_

XXX

Luffy came out from the ER and walked passed Ace and Law.

"Okay," he said. "I'm ready."

Ace watched his heartbroken little brother make his way for the door before he turned back to Law, his anger returning.

"Law…you're making a mistake," he said.

"I'm only doing my job, Portgas," Law remarked.

"That so?" Ace questioned. "Then let me ask you this: are you gonna make Luffy through what you had to when you had to put your own dog down because of this damn law?"

Now it was Law's turn to be angry.

"You said you'd never mention that, again," he growled.

"I'm telling you, Law," Ace said. "That dog means more to Luffy than you know. He was miserable before he came along…and if you put him down…you'll be sorry."

With that being said, Ace turned and headed out the door.

Law stared at it for what felt like about an hour before he heaved a sigh of his own and scratched at the back of his head.

Outside, large, gray clouds had formed, and no sooner had Luffy and Ace gotten in the car had it begun to pour down raining.

(BGM: Blue Beyond from The Fox and the Hound 2)

As Ace drove himself and Luffy home, the latter pulled out his cell phone and started texting.

XXX

3:30 pm.

Nami came home and immediately headed into her room. Nojiko had given her a cup of hot cocoa to help calm her down, and curled up next to her was Tangerine.

Nami heard her cell phone buzzing, so she picked it up, opened it, and saw that she had a text message from Luffy.

It said, **"Blizzard's not gonna make it. He's half-wolf."**

Nami's eyes went wide before she soon hugged her legs to her chest, her face hidden behind her knees.

She soon let out muffled sobs.

XXX

3:43 pm.

Zoro was down at the bar with Robin, drinking a bottle of Corona.

The reason why was because he had gotten a text from Luffy saying, **"Blizzard won't make it. He's got wolf in him."**

Robin put a hand on Zoro's shoulder, but that didn't seem to console the alcoholic at all.

He just kept drinking.

XXX

4:01 pm.

Sanji had decided to go home instead of going to back to work.

He had gotten a text from Luffy that said, **"My dog is half-wolf…so, yeah…"**

He began to try and light a cigarette, but he soon got frustrated when the lighter wouldn't light.

"Crap," he cursed.

XXX

4:10 pm.

Vivi was on her way home in her limousine with Pell, her chauffer. Her father, Cobra Nefertari sat on the left of her, brushing his fingers through her sky blue hair. Her faithful pet duck, Carue, sat on the right.

Vivi leaned against her father's shoulder while gently stroking her duck's feathers.

She had gotten a text that said, **"Blizzard's all right…but he's not coming home."**

XXX

4:23 pm.

Usopp was at his apartment, sitting on the sofa. Chopper sat in his lap, a sad whimper escaping his throat.

When Usopp came home like this earlier, he noticed that he didn't smell Blizzard's scent on him, so he knew that something was wrong.

Usopp was staring at his phone, which had a text message from Luffy.

"**I just got through saying goodbye to Blizzard,"** it said.

Usopp had his hand over his eyes and he chewed his lips.

Small droplets of water fell on Chopper's little blue nose.

XXX

4:35 pm.

Ace and Luffy arrived home. Once the car pulled up into the garage, Luffy went inside and went into his room, not feeling like eating at the moment.

Ace didn't blame him. His little brother just went through one of the hardest things in his life: saying goodbye to the best friend he had ever made.

Luffy pulled off his hoodie, heaving a heavy sigh, and then kicked his shoes off his feet. He didn't bother taking his pants off. He decided that he was going to sleep in them, tonight.

As he laid in bed, Luffy looked over to his nightstand and saw a picture frame of himself, Ace, and Blizzard on the couch together, all wearing smiles.

That picture was taken the day Blizzard was officially brought into the D Brothers' home.

Luffy knew that he would never feel this happy, again, so he just cried himself to sleep.

XXX

Wednesday, May 1st.

8:00 am.

Luffy had been in bed for almost 13 hours. He woke up at 6 o'clock, earlier, but simply refused to get up.

He had been hoping that yesterday had been just a nightmare that he'd soon wake up from, but he had already assured himself that it was definitely not a dream, for he had pinched himself so hard that he actually managed to make himself bleed, a bit.

He wanted, so badly, to wake up to the warm slobber of Blizzard's tongue, but he knew that his dog was no longer a part of his life.

Or so he thought…

"Luffy!"

Luffy looked at his bedroom and saw Ace entering. For some reason, he was smiling.

"Luffy!" Ace said. "You're not gonna believe it!"

Luffy stared at Ace, blankly, but then, he put on a look of surprise.

XXX

9:10 am.

Heart Animal Clinic.

Ace and Luffy arrived here as fast as possible, being careful not to get slicked up by yesterday's rain puddles. The moment they were parked outside, Luffy pulled off his seatbelt and ran inside.

The first people he saw once he entered was Law…and Blizzard, alive and well.

"Blizzard!" Luffy cried as he ran up to his wolf-dog with an open arm.

Blizzard didn't hesitate, and jumped onto Luffy's chest, toppling him to the floor and smothering him with doggy kisses.

Ace ran inside and joined in on the love.

Luffy was both laughing and crying at the same time as Blizzard continued to lick away his tears.

"Oh, buddy!" Luffy exclaimed as he hugged Blizzard. "I'm so glad you're alive!"

Blizzard breathed out a sigh.

Ace stood up and to see Law, who had his arms crossed. Luffy also sat up, Blizzard still caught in his embrace.

"Thanks, Law!" Luffy said, gratefully. "You're a great guy, after all!"

"What made you change your mind?" asked Ace.

"I decided that I wouldn't let Straw Hat go through I had to go when I had to put Jupiter down, okay?" said Law. "Look, don't go getting any ideas. Next time, I won't be so nice. If your dog ends up back here, I really will put him down! Nothing personal, I just have to do my job, got it?"

"Whatever, Law," Ace said.

Luffy continued to hug Blizzard tightly, a genuine grin on his face.

"C'mon, Blizzard," he said. "What do you say we go to school?"

**WOOF!** Blizzard barked, happily.

XXX

9:00 am.

Luffy and Blizzard arrived at school.

Better late than never.

The moment Luffy set foot on campus, the gang was prepared to tell him how sorry they were for Blizzard…

That is, until they saw Blizzard standing there.

"AAAHH! BLIZZARD'S A ZOMBIE!"

"SHUT UP, USOPP!"

Soon, Blizzard was met with hugs, pets, and kisses.

The students, the teachers, and the entire school board came to welcome back their mascot and their most popular in the whole school.

Luffy was just happy that he had his best friend back.

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	29. Our Future

**Ch. 29- Our Future**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Sunday. May 5th.<p>

9:00 am.

The Straw Hat gang had gathered at Going Merry Park, today.

Luffy had turned 18 today, and that meant he was now a legal adult.

Right now, everyone was just sitting under the shade of the biggest cherry blossom tree in the park. They liked to sit under here whether it was to get out of the sun, to contemplate on their dreams, or just to hang out.

Zoro had Robin sitting next to him with an draped around her shoulders.

Sanji and Vivi were both lying down together on the grass.

Usopp was sitting down on a tree root with Chopper in his lap.

Luffy sat at the base of the tree, one arm wrapped around Nami's waist, and, of course, Blizzard laid beside him.

Everyone was looking up at the sky, all with smiles.

With Luffy at his new age, everyone remembered that their lives seemed to going faster than they thought, but it didn't mean that they still couldn't enjoy it and contemplate their future.

"Hey, Luffy," Nami said.

"Hmm?" Luffy hummed.

"You know that graduation's coming soon, right?"

"So?" Luffy asked. "I'll be graduating this year, and so will you, Usopp, Vivi, and Zoro."

"That's pretty surprising, though," Usopp said.

"Yeah, about Moss-head graduating, that is," Sanji added, jokingly.

"What'd you say, Dartboard?"

"You heard exactly what I said!"

"Now, now, boys," said Robin.

"Yeah, let's not fight, okay?" Vivi asked.

"Yes, Vivi, honey!" Sanji exclaimed.

"Moron," Zoro grumbled under his breath.

"So, Luffy," Vivi asked. "What do you think we should all do in the future?"

"The future?" Luffy repeated.

"Yeah, you know," Sanji said. "What are you gonna do once you graduate? Go to college? Get a degree? That sort of stuff?"

Luffy crossed his arms and furrowed his brow.

"What's he doing?" asked Zoro.

"It's almost like…!" Usopp added.

"He's thinking!" Nami concluded.

A pause. Then, Luffy threw his head up, his usual grin up on his face.

"Heh!" he chuckled. "I don't care!"

"What?" everyone except Robin questioned.

"I don't care!" Luffy repeated. "I don't care about our future!" He turned to Nami whilst petting Blizzard. "As long as I have Blizzard, Nami," he turned to the others, "and all of you guys, of course…then it doesn't matter to me."

Everyone just stared at Luffy for what felt like a long time, but then they all smiled at him.

They believed that what Luffy meant was he wanted everyone to be together as one big group of friends, united by strong bonds that would never come apart, even after they all went their separate ways.

It made them proud to have him as their leader.

Nami wrapped her arms around Luffy in a loving embrace.

"That's why I love you so much," she said.

Luffy chuckled before he gave Nami a chaste kiss on the lips.

"You know, Luffy," Usopp said, "as good as that sounds…you know that one day, we'll all have to go our separate ways."

"I know," Luffy said. "That's why I'm doing whatever I can to enjoy whatever time we have until then."

Blizzard jumped up and licked Luffy's face, making him and the whole Straw Hat gang break out in laughter.

"Hey, c'mon!" said Luffy as he stood up. "There's cake back at my place! Last one there gets the smallest slice!"

"Yeah, right!" Usopp retorted, in spite of the grin on his face.

Chopper let out a small but happy yip.

"What do you think, Moss-head?" Sanji questioned. "Ready to lose?"

"Not to you, Dartboard," Zoro answered, bluntly.

"Play nice, boys," teased Robin.

Vivi just giggled.

"Ready to go, buddy?" Luffy asked Blizzard, who barked in approval.

"On your mark!" Nami called. "Get set! GO!"

With that, everyone raced to Luffy's house, even the girls.

Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Vivi, Chopper, Robin, and Blizzard. No one really knew what the future had in store for this group of friends, but like Luffy said, if they were ever to go their separate ways, then they were going to enjoy whatever time they had together until then.

For Luffy, it felt like it was going to be a very long time, and he felt like he had all the time in the world.

**THE END**

* * *

><p>Well, that's it. School Days is done!<p>

Next week, Luffy and the gang start summer vacation!

Anyway, review, please!


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